The Ohio State Senate passed a bill last week, putting a constitutional amendment that would mandate voter ID in Ohio elections on the November ballot.
President Trump responded to the bill’s passage, commending the Republican lawmakers behind the push, adding, “Democrats fought hard against this, presumably so they can CHEAT.”
This will prevent a future Democratic legislature from reversing the current law requiring voter ID by codifying it in the state’s constitution. However, it does not institute voter ID requirements for mail-in voters, leaving a massive loophole for mail-in ballot fraud.
According to a press release from the Ohio State Senate,
The Ohio Senate passed Senate Joint Resolution 10, Sponsored by State Senator Jane Timken (R-Jackson Township) and State Senator Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green), which would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to enshrine Ohio’s Voter ID laws in the state’s Constitution.
“With AI being easily able to generate items like utility bills and bank statements, it is essential to constitutionally protect voter photo-ID requirements,” said Senator Timken. “This resolution ensures that it is easy to vote but hard to cheat.”
Section 1 A of the legislation states: ” Electors shall provide identification in order to vote, in accordance with laws passed by the General Assembly.” Among the approved forms of photo ID are:
- A driver’s license or state ID card issues by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
- A United States passport or passport card.
- A United States military identification card.
- An Ohio National Guard card.
- An identification card issued by the United States Department of Veterans affairs.
The resolution also allows the General Assembly to authorize other forms of photo identification not specified in the resolution, ensuring that Ohio’s elections will remain secure as technology advances.
“Voter photo-ID requirements are widely supported by Americans,” said Senator Gavarone. “Yet in states all around the country, these election protections are being repealed. This joint resolution will allow the people of Ohio to ingrain this important election-integrity measure in our state’s constitution.”
Upon passage by the Ohio House, the proposed amendment will be place on the November ballot, requiring a simple majority vote to go into effect.
Democrats in Ohio claimed that Republicans only seek to boost voter turnout in the midterms. “They think this is going to get their voters out to vote. I think that they’re wrong,” State Senator Bill Demora said, decrying the bill as “purely political.”
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