Ohio's next elections chief says he believes heightened, inaccurate rhetoric by candidates, parties and journalists about flaws in the U.S. election system is undermining voter confidence, so he's working to reduce such language.

Republican Frank LaRose takes office in January as secretary of state.

He urged participants at a conference Friday to help him ease voters' minds. He says he's delivered the same message to county election officials.

LaRose says the political right has stoked its base by overstating problems with voter fraud, and the political left did the same with claims of voter suppression, although neither is widespread.

One member of LaRose's transition team, former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, has drawn criticism for his unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in Florida's recent election. He also served on President Trump's disbanded voter fraud commission.

The Friday conference, hosted by Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law, explored the future of U.S. presidential elections, particularly whether future contests should be decided by the national popular vote.