Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed a bill that would have required most mail-in voters to provide a copy of their driver’s license or state ID before casting an absentee ballot.
House Bill 472 would have taken effect with the November 2027 election. DeWine, a Republican, said the measure would not prevent fraud, would not add meaningful security, and would place a significant burden on Ohioans who vote by mail.
“This bill is not needed, because Ohio does an excellent job running elections,” DeWine wrote in his veto message.
The proposal began as a bipartisan bill to waive fees for birth certificates and IDs for people experiencing homelessness. Republican senators later added the absentee voter ID requirement, saying it would strengthen election integrity.
Voting-rights groups, Democratic lawmakers, and some election officials opposed the change, warning it could make absentee voting harder for seniors, people with disabilities, rural voters, and people without easy access to printers or online tools.
Ohio Senate President Rob McColley called the veto disappointing and said the bill would have increased public confidence in elections.
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