Ohio House Votes to Send New Voting Requirements to Governor

Voters use an 'optional paper ballot voting booth' to cast their ballots early before the May 3 primary at the Franklin County Board of Elections on April 26, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

In a post-midnight vote in the Ohio House Chamber on Tuesday, legislators passed new voting laws for the state, including increased photo ID requirements and fewer days to apply for absentee ballots.

The legislation, which has now passed both chambers, will head to Governor Mike DeWine (R) to sign into law.

The governor told the Associated Press on Thursday he would need to read the final bill before he would consider signing it.

“The last two secretaries of state have both said that we have a very good system in the state of Ohio,” he said to the AP. “It’s easy to vote, hard to cheat, so I think we already have a good system in the state of Ohio.”

The legislation, if signed by the governor, will impose the state’s first photo ID requirement for voters, requiring all voters to show the appropriate driver’s license or photo identification card to vote.

State Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) responded to Democrats’ objections to voter ID requirements by stating, “anyone who does not have a driver’s license in Ohio can get a photo ID at the BMV — free. Free, free, free.”

Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine was re-elected to a second term on Nov. 8, 2022. (Everitt Townsend)

Other portions of the legislation cut timelines concerning voting, early voting, and absentee ballots.

Absentee ballots must arrive a week before Election Day compared to the current three. The final early voting day will be scrapped, having its hours redistributed throughout the preceding week. Absentee ballots postmarked the day before elections must arrive within four days rather than the current 10 allowable days.

It also outlaws curbside voting and limits ballot drop boxes to one per county. Drop boxes will also be subject to 24-hour video surveillance, which the legislation explains will become public record.

Governments would also be prohibited from prepaying return postage for mail-in ballots, and most August special elections have been eliminated.

Opposition to Legislation

Democrats in the chamber and voter-rights groups voiced opposition to the legislation, stating it creates additional hurdles for Ohio voters.

“If our election system is the gold standard, which other states emulate and look to for how they should run their elections, then why are we changing anything at all?” Democrat Rep. Richard Brown asked. “There’s no need to change anything. There is no problem to solve here. In fact, the changes suggested in this bill and the amendments, solve no problems, but create new ones.”

Ohio’s AARP opposed the legislation specifically being passed in the lame duck session of the legislature, calling for it to be debated in the next Ohio General Assembly “with the benefit of hearings and a full and open discussion, to consider how changes to the law will impact all Ohioans.”

Ohio AARP’s state director Holly Holtzen wrote a letter to House members prior to the vote.

“While AARP supports fair and effective procedures to detect and prevent voter fraud, we also want to ensure that Ohio’s 50+ population can exercise their voices in elections,” Holtzen wrote. “We understand that state lawmakers have a responsibility to balance these two elements but doing so responsibly and with sufficient debate is crucial.”

GOP lawmakers argue changes will protect the integrity of Ohio elections and restore voter confidence.

A man drops off his election ballot in the drop box at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 22, 2020. (Tony Dejak/AP)

Rep. Seitz said he believed Democrats in the House missed an opportunity to help shape the bill more to their liking, according to the AP.

“As I predicted on day one with our bill,” Seitz said, “if you do not like this bill, if you are not willing to work with us on this bill, do not be surprised when at the end of the day you will get a bill that is much less to your liking.”

A separate measure considered was placing on next year’s ballot a resolution requiring a “60% supermajority to pass future constitutional amendments.” While it was not brought up this session, it could be brought up after the next General Assembly is called to order in January.