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Ohio Elections Chief Flags Voter Forms from Marijuana Group

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Voter registrations collected by a marijuana legalization campaign in Ohio are to be closely scrutinized for potential fraud under orders of the swing state’s elections chief.

Secretary of State Jon Husted advised Ohio’s 88 county election boards Wednesday to carefully analyze new voter registrations submitted by The Strategy Network, the organization coordinating a signature drive for ResponsibleOhio’s marijuana legalization campaign.

Husted’s advisory said the heightened caution related to reports from some boards of elections that submissions by the group contained higher error rates and apparent fraudulent registration attempts. He cited non-existent addresses, illegible signatures, duplicate applications from the same address and some underage registrants.

ResponsibleOhio’s director says the group is “flummoxed.” Ian James says Husted’s office was consulted during the process and indicated no problems with the group’s procedures.