Ohio lawmakers are considering new identification requirements for voters who cast their ballots by mail. House Bill 577, introduced by Representative Ron Ferguson (R-Wintersville) the day after the November election, would require absentee voters to submit a copy of their photo identification when returning their completed ballot.
Under current Ohio law, voters must show a valid photo ID when voting in person. Mail-in voters, however, may return an absentee ballot using other verification such as the last four digits of a Social Security number or an Ohio driver’s license number. HB 577 would change that process by requiring voters to include a photocopy of the same type of identification used at polling locations.
The bill text shows additional changes to the state’s voter registration law, including updated ID standards and adjustments to the absentee ballot verification process. The legislation has been assigned to committee but has not yet received a hearing.
In an interview with the Statehouse News Bureau, Ferguson said the goal is to create consistency between in-person and absentee voting. He said requiring a copy of photo identification would increase confidence in the identity of absentee voters.
Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, told the Statehouse News Bureau she believes existing absentee requirements are already secure. She expressed concern that some voters could be disenfranchised, including seniors or people with disabilities who may struggle to access a copy machine to produce an ID copy.
HB 577’s introduction comes shortly after the Ohio Senate advanced a separate measure that would eliminate the state’s four-day grace period for accepting mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day. Together, the bills represent a broader push among Republican lawmakers to tighten voting procedures ahead of future statewide elections.
Both proposals will continue through the committee process before any potential floor votes.