State Representative Ron Ferguson of Wintersville speaks to the press at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal. Only repost photo with the original article.)
A Republican lawmaker from Ohio wants to require absentee voters who cast a ballot to provide a copy of their photo ID. But the proposal may have ended much of the GOP’s enthusiasm for up-to-date voting restrictions.
On Ohio House Bill 577at the first hearing, committee members on both sides of the aisle balked at the logistical challenges involved.
How it works
The bill’s sponsor, Ohio Republican Ron Ferguson, R-Wintersville, said the General Assembly has performed “exceptionally” this session in “increasing the integrity of our elections.”
“This bill,” he said, “goes a step further by ensuring that every voter in the state of Ohio shows a photo ID.”
Ferguson says photo ID is “the best way to ensure the integrity of our elections.” Ferguson, however, believes that absentee voters will be able to cast ballots without the same supervision as voters who show up in person at the polls.
Under his proposal, absentee voters would be required to include a photocopy of their driver’s license or other form of identification on the front and back when returning their ballot.
Ferguson says photo ID requirements for voting are widely popular, but he doesn’t make any real argument for the usefulness of including a photocopy of ID.
When you vote in person, the poll worker compares the photo on your driver’s license with the person standing in front of him. This is not possible if your absentee ballot arrives by mail.
In most cases, attaching a copy of your ID card merely repeats the information contained on the website identification envelope – at least with a photo.
But according to Ferguson, it comes down to a elementary formula: If voters must show ID when voting at polling places, voters voting at a drop box should also do so.
“It’s about fairness,” he said, “and that’s what this whole bill is about.”
Debate
Lawmakers on the panel asked several questions about the mechanics of Ferguson’s proposal, the most obvious of which concerned people who don’t own a copier or printer.
Ohio State Rep. Eric Synenberg, D-Beachwood, asked about seniors who don’t have access to a printer at home.
“I know a lot of people who still don’t do it,” he said. “I don’t actually have a good printer at home, believe it or not – I have a printer but not a copier, let me explain this – is this a burden on them?”
That’s not a problem at all, Ferguson said. Agencies such as the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and county boards of elections will provide copies free of charge, he said.
“Any of those places that I mentioned earlier where you can currently register to vote, you can get a copy there,” he said.
The list includes libraries and agencies that provide public support, such as the Department of Work and Family Services. But it also applies to public high schools, vocational schools and county treasurers.
Ferguson added that for homebound voters, the bill codifies the BMV’s existing homebound identification program by adding a requirement for officials to provide a photocopy of their ID for voting purposes.
Ferguson compared the idea to a program in which election officials visit homebound voters so they can cast ballots.
“(They) could go there, that Republican, one Democrat from the board of elections, and get that copy for that elderly voter or other homebound voter who doesn’t have that opportunity.”
The committee chairwoman, Ohio Rep. Sharon Ray, R-Wadsworth, seemed surprised that bipartisan teams were being sent to voters’ homes just to copy the license.
– Was that your suggestion? she asked.
Ferguson confirmed that it did, adding that the program already exists in state law.
“One of the hurdles,” he explained, “may be getting a copy, so we’re expanding their capabilities in that area as well.”
As a former member of the Medina County Board of Elections, Ray is not only familiar with the program, but was also part of a team visiting homebound voters.
“I guess what I’m afraid of is that it’s going to be a much larger group that I’m going to have to deal with,” she said.
As she looked through the list of places where photocopies could be delivered, she asked, “Have these organizations been contacted to see if they would participate? Or do we know of them participating in (in) other states?”
Ferguson did not respond directly.
He said simply that “we’ve stayed consistent” with places that provide registration forms, but he’s open to the commission adding or subtracting something from the list.
Follow Ohio Capital Journal reporter Nick Evans on X Or on Bluesky.
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.
