Guest column by Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose
As a result of legislation passed by the Ohio General Assembly in December, new voting requirements are now in effect for the May 2 primary.
Under the new law, in-person voters are now required to provide an Ohio or federally issued photo ID (state driver’s license, state ID, passport, or military ID) to cast their ballot. While a survey of our county boards of elections found that 98% of Ohioans already use photo ID to vote in person, voters without one can now obtain a free state ID card at any Ohio BMV location. Registered voters who have no acceptable form of photo ID and who do not wish to obtain a free one can also choose to vote absentee – where they are simply required to provide the last four digits of their Social Security Number.
It is my hope that the entrepreneurs, job creators, and the small business owners of the NFIB can help share these changes with their members to ensure that Ohioans’ will have their voices heard on May 2. There has been an erosion of confidence in American elections in recent years, and the overwhelming majority of Ohioans support strong photo ID laws to prevent voter fraud. The new law will strengthen the myriad voter security measures Ohio already has in place and ensure that Ohio remains a state where it’s easy to vote but hard to cheat.
Also of note, at the request of our bipartisan county board of election officials, the new law removes the Monday before Election Day from the early voting calendar so boards may better prepare for Tuesday elections. In my role as Ohio’s Secretary of State, I have reallocated those early voting hours to more convenient days leading up to Election Day, when more Ohioans can utilize them. Finally, the new law allows any 17-year-old to serve as a poll worker. This is a great opportunity for young Ohioans who aren’t yet able to vote to participate in our democracy and learn about Ohio’s electoral process.
Frank LaRose
Ohio Secretary of State
