Ohio's new voter ID law has been controversial, with critics claiming that it creates unnecessary barriers for voters in response to a problem that hardly exists. However, supporters argue that the law is necessary to safeguard the integrity of Ohio's elections. Local election officials have noted that the law stays mostly the same for most voters, but confusion remains a crucial issue.
The deadline for voter registration in Ohio's May 4 election is April 3, with early voting starting on April 4. The law, signed by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in January, requires voters to prove their identity with photo identification when casting an in-person ballot. It also alters the timeline for absentee voters to mail their ballots.
Sherry Poland, President of the Ohio Association of Election Officials, explained that the law moves away from verifying residency and instead focuses on proving one's identity. Election board directors from several counties have confirmed that most in-person voters already use a driver's license or state-issued ID card to verify their residency, so the new law will not affect them.
It is worth noting that Ohioans can still vote without a photo ID by voting absentee, which can be done by registering to vote and voting by mail using the last four digits of their Social Security number. However, the new law shortens the period when elections boards can accept mailed ballots from the tenth day after an election to the fourth day. This change may negatively impact specific groups, such as military personnel and those with strict work schedules, who depend heavily on absentee voting.
In addition to the changes to absentee voting, the new law also includes other notable differences, such as requiring the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to issue state ID cards at no charge to Ohioans who request them and limiting the number of drop-off boxes for absentee ballots to one per county. The law also changes the timeline for early, in-person voting by removing the Monday before election day from the early voting calendar and distributing the lost hours throughout the week before it.
Curbside voting is now limited to Ohio voters who cannot physically enter their polling location or have a physical disability. This has raised concerns from the ACLU of Ohio regarding accessibility for voters with disabilities. The group has asked for clarification from the Ohio Secretary of State's office and for the law to permit voters with disabilities who lack the proper photo ID to provide an affidavit attesting to their identity.
The debate over voter fraud and suppression has been sparked by the passing of a bill in Ohio sponsored by Republican lawmakers. The statement, signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine, requires strict photo ID for voting and has been criticized by Democrats as an assault on democracy.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has defended the bill, citing concerns about voter fraud. However, the Associated Press reported that the total possible nationwide voter fraud in the 2020 election was roughly 0.0005%.
The Ohio Democratic Party has accused Republicans of making voting harder, despite admitting that voter fraud is virtually non-existent. The changes in requirements could add another layer of confusion to an already complex voting process, with some election board leaders concerned about voter confusion.
To address these concerns, LaRose has issued a directive for all 88 election boards to apply the new law's rules on April 4, days before early voting starts. Election board leaders have been working on updating necessary forms, printing out new envelopes, and putting out messaging regarding the changes in Ohio's voting law.
