Ohio adopts AI for elections, but other states still have concerns - The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio adopts AI for elections, but other states still have concerns

- Ohio election officials are using an AI chatbot to help answer questions about election procedures.

- The chatbot, named EVA, is trained on Ohio's election manual and is only available to election officials.

- While the tool can quickly find information, officials are still advised to verify its answers.

- Other states, like West Virginia and Maine, remain hesitant to adopt AI for elections due to accuracy and security concerns.

Ohio election officials are using an artificial intelligence chatbot to help answer questions about election procedures, but some states remain wary of adopting AI for election-related work.

As artificial intelligence becomes more common across government and private industries, election officials nationwide are weighing whether the technology can improve efficiency without risking accuracy or public mistrust.

The office of Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced the state's first AI-powered election administration assistant in 2025. The Elections Virtual Assistant, known as EVA, is available only to election officials, who can use it to quickly look up Ohio election procedures and guidance. It's available 24/7 to election officials in all 88 county boards of elections.

The state's rollout comes as election officials across the country debate whether AI's benefits outweigh concerns about misinformation, misuse and more.

What does Ohio's election chatbot actually do?

EVA is trained on Ohio's 524-page Election Official Manual and annual election calendar, rather than information from the broader internet, according to the secretary of state's office.

State officials say EVA can reduce hours spent on manual research, streamline election administration and free up legal and policy staff to focus on work that requires human judgment.

Ohio election chatbot still has its flaws

While LaRose praised the results of the tool during testing, he has cautioned election officials to verify EVA's answers against statutes. He also said the chatbot cannot serve as legal counsel, according to ABC News. It has also struggled with figuring out future election dates.

"She's definitely a data nerd and a bit on the wonky side, but I’m not sure I've met someone who can answer a common question about election administration as quickly and effectively as Eva," said Secretary LaRose in a release.

LaRose added that before the tool, officials had to manually search a 524-page rulebook to find instructions on everything from managing the voter registration database to conducting a post-election audit. "Eva can provide those answers immediately with a simple search prompt."

Other states aren't sold on election-related chatbots

While some election officials are joining LaRose and embracing AI tools, others remain skeptical about their accuracy and reliability.

West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner told ABC News that AI could return incorrect election information if users don't provide enough context, such as the state or county they live in.

"If they don't put in the name of the state, there's seven other states that all have Harrison counties, so it could be Mississippi, Indiana, Texas or any of the other states. They're not going to get the right information," Warner said.

Similarly, Maine officials have also expressed hesitation about adopting AI for election administration, saying the technology is not yet reliable enough for the state's elections.

"Right now, it is too risky. There's just too many unknowns and too much unverified information … until there's really good insurances on cybersecurity, Maine is not comfortable going there for elections yet," Maine Deputy Secretary of State Kate McBrien told ABC.

As states experiment with AI, election officials continue to face a balancing act between improving its efficiency and maintaining accuracy and security of election information.