Columbus, Ohio. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has signed Senate Bill 293 into law, enacting broad changes to the state’s voting system that will affect absentee voting, voter registration, provisional ballots, and ballot deadlines beginning in 2026. The legislation was approved during the legislature’s lame-duck session and drew strong opposition from voting rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers.
The new law eliminates Ohio’s four-day grace period for counting absentee ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but arrive afterward, meaning ballots received after Election Day will no longer be counted. In the 2024 election, more than 9,000 ballots were counted during that window, according to state data. Supporters argue the change strengthens election integrity, while critics say it penalizes voters for mail delays beyond their control.
SB 293 also tightens voter registration requirements by mandating documentary proof of citizenship, restricts voter registration drives, ends online voter registration, bans ballot drop boxes, and expands the use of provisional ballots. Election officials have warned the changes could increase administrative burdens on county boards of elections.
DeWine said he signed the bill in part due to concerns about potential legal uncertainty stemming from a future U.S. Supreme Court ruling on mail ballot deadlines. Voting rights groups dispute that rationale and have signaled potential legal challenges, arguing the law will disproportionately affect younger voters, low-income residents, and minority communities.
Ohio lawmakers say the changes are intended to be in place ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
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