Ohio Passes Stringent Voter ID, Limits Drop Boxes & Shortens Early Voting

Brian Beihl

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for January 12, 2023

Chart credit – Policy Matters Ohio


Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Cleveland.com – Ohio voters will need photo ID for in-person voting, under bill signed by Gov. Mike DeWine
Columbus Dispatch – Gov. Mike DeWine signs photo ID requirement, election changes into law
Democracy Docket – Ohio Governor Signs Strict Photo ID Bill Into Law
Democracy Docket – Ohio Organizations Sue Over State’s New Voter Suppression Law
State of Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles – Information on Obtaining State Issued IDs

Groups Taking Action:

Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, Ohio Federation of Teachers, Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans, Union Veterans Council, Policy Matters Ohio, Ohio Voting Rights Coalition

Ohio Passes Stringent Voter ID, Limits Drop Boxes & Shortens Early Voting

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

Hundreds of thousands of Ohioans may need to obtain a state-authorized photo ID in order to vote in the next election, due to a new anti-voter law signed last week by Governor Mike DeWine.

Cleveland.com reports that the signing of HB 458 ends the decades-old use of alternate forms of ID like current utility bills, bank statements or paychecks, and now requires a state or federal-issued ID. ID options include an Ohio driver’s license, state ID card, interim identification form, U.S. passport or passport card, or military ID card. Those without ID will be forced to vote by provisional ballot.
Copies of one of four types of ID must be provided with absentee ballot voting.

The bill appropriates money to offer free state IDs to those requesting them. The total number of eligible Ohio voters without an ID or driver’s license is not clear, but estimates from state legislative researchers estimate “several hundreds of thousands.”

In addition to the new ID provisions, HB 458 also restricts absentee drop boxes to one per county, eliminates in-person early voting the Monday before election day, and changes the last day to request an absentee ballot to 7 days before the election.

Pro-voter groups have already filed suit, though changes in the Ohio Supreme Court may make it more challenging.

We have articles and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.