Ohio approves photo ID requirement to vote

A ballot measure that would enshrine photo identification requirements to vote in the Ohio Constitution is projected to pass, according to Decision Desk HQ.

The constitutional amendment, known as Issue 3, will require voters to show government-issued photo ID in order to cast a ballot.

With 87 percent of ballots counted, 66 percent of voters approved of Issue 3, DDHQ reported .

Acceptable forms of government-issued photo ID include: “an unexpired Ohio driver license or state identification card; a United States passport or passport card; or a United States military identification card, Ohio National Guard identification card, or United States Department of Veterans Affairs identification card.”

The initiative will also require those casting mail-in or absentee ballots to show a form of government-issued photo ID “unless the law authorizes those persons to vote by providing a signature and at least one other specified unique identifier.”

The constitutional amendment will allow voters to seek a religious exception if they have a “religious objection” to being photographed and don’t have government-issued photo ID, allowing the state to provide “an alternative method” for verifying the voter’s identity.

Ohio law already requires voters to show photo ID to cast a ballot ; the ballot measure enshrines those requirements in the state constitution.

Ohio law also allows for religious exemptions around issuing photo ID at the polls, instead requiring voters to sign an affidavit swearing that they don’t have a form of photo ID for religious reasons, and they must provide the last four numbers of their Social Security number.

Ballotpedia notes that more than a dozen states are teeing up ballot measures pertaining to election policy, including six states that are asking voters about voting and citizenship and six states asking about voter ID.