Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has tapped leadership for the new Ohio Election Integrity Commission. As part of last summer’s budget, state lawmakers axed the state’s existing independent campaign watchdog and replaced it with a new office under the secretary’s control.
As of Jan. 1, the Ohio Elections Commission hands the reins to the Ohio Election Integrity Commission. The board’s membership shrinks from seven to five, and instead of a bipartisan panel selecting a nonpartisan colleague, all commissioners will be chosen by state leaders.
To start, former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Terrence O’Donnell will lead the commission on an interim basis, after which former U.S. Attorney D. Michael Crites will take over. Crites previously chaired the Ohio Elections Commission after getting appointed to the panel by Gov. Jon Kasich.
Under existing law, Crites couldn’t serve on the new commission immediately because he’s already part of a different state board. Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation lifting that restriction in December, but it won’t take effect until March.
“Justice O’Donnell is one of the most respected jurists and legal minds in Ohio,” LaRose said in a statement, “and I’m honored that he’s agreed to give of his time in retirement to continue serving our state in this interim capacity.”
“His experience will help immediately restore the commission’s credibility,” he added, “as he leads its formative days.”
How we got here
At root, state lawmakers criticized the Ohio Elections Commission for moving too slowly. Even frivolous allegations, they complained, drag on for months if not years, placing demands on candidates’ time and creating fodder for their political opponents. For all that time and energy invested, eventual punishments often seemed meager in comparison.
Meanwhile, the commission was just as slow to address significant, well-known examples of campaign finance violations like former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder’s activity to advance Ohio House Bill 6.
“I mean, they’ve had an OEC complaint pending against Larry Householder for five years,” state Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, said back in April as he led the charge to eliminate the agency.
In November, the commission again delayed taking action on those complaints.
“This dereliction of duty has potentially allowed criminal behavior to go unpunished,” LaRose said at the time, “and it sends a disgraceful message to Ohio’s citizenry that the enforcement of our election laws is feckless and toothless.”
When the commission handed down a $400 fine in December, LaRose dismissed it as “another weak slap on the wrist,” adding “time’s up, OEC. Good riddance.”
The new commission
Majority and minority leaders in the Ohio General Assembly are responsible for selecting members of the new Ohio Elections Integrity Commission and the Secretary of State taps the chair.
Ohio Senate President Rob McColley selected Karl Kerschner, an attorney who began serving on the Ohio Elections Commission in 2024. Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio nominated Eben “Sandy” McNair, an attorney who previously served on the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.
House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn designated John Lyall, another member currently serving on the Ohio Elections Commission, to continue on the new commission. House Speaker Matt Huffman has not yet selected his designee.
Interim chairman O’Donnell said he was “honored” for the opportunity to serve on the commission.
“I would hope to instill public confidence in Ohio elections,” he said, “to ensure compliance with campaign finance laws, and to work with my colleagues on the commission to achieve those goals.”
O’Donnell first joined the bench in 1980 on the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. He went on to serve on the state appeals court before getting appointed to the Ohio Supreme Court in 2003. He won elections to continue serving on the supreme court three times before retiring in 2018.
Ohio Capital Journal reached out to Crites, who’ll take over the chairmanship in March, but got no reply. In addition to his experience as a federal prosecutor and former chair of the Ohio Elections Commission, the secretary described him as a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and Vietnam War veteran who reached the rank of Captain before retiring from the U.S. Navy. Crites currently chairs the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame executive committee.
Originally published by the Ohio Capital Journal. Republished here with permission.