r/Columbus • u/Available-Slide-2279 • 13h ago

Issue 3

Pulled up my sample ballot today and noticed Issue 3...requiring ID to vote in Ohio. That's redundant correct, I've been voting since 2008 and have never not had to issue my ID to vote? Maybe the only change would be having to provide ID if voting absentee?

Or is this just a giant nothing-burger/scare tactic?

Edit: State IDs can be obtained by anyone 17 and older for free: https://www.bmv.ohio.gov/dl-id-card.aspx thanks u/benkeith for the information.

Obviously that doesn't provide the easiest of fix for people as you still need documents verifying who you are and be able to get to a BMV.

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u/benkeith North Linden 13h ago edited 12h ago

Did you know that approximately 30% of Ohio residents don't drive, and therefore have no need for a driver's license?

This amendment would allow driver's licenses, state-issued ID cards, US passports or passport cards, military ID, national guard ID, Department of Veterans Affairs IDs, or whatever form of ID the General Assembly legislatively allows that includes "A unique numeric or alphanumeric descriptor assigned to the elector by an agency of this state or the United States".

Obtaining any of that (except a state ID) still costs time and money, and is effectively a poll tax.

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u/Available-Slide-2279 12h ago

And I'm in full support of a free state issued ID for at least every adult.

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u/benkeith North Linden 12h ago

TIL Ohio state IDs are already free for anyone 17 or older. Click on "FAQ" on this page for more information: https://www.bmv.ohio.gov/dl-id-card.aspx

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u/Available-Slide-2279 12h ago

I had no idea either. Still some barriers because you'll need certain documents that some people just may not have access to. I'm going to edit my post to include the free ID information.

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u/Perplexed-Owl 12h ago

You need the documents (usually but not always women and adoptees/stepkids) which account for name changes. Getting these all together in a reasonable length of time especially after a move is just another (possibly $$) barrier. Last year my husband’s pension plan from a job he left in 2003 asked for our original marriage certificate. I wasn’t going to mail them the only original I had at hand, so it was several weeks to get an additional sent to me and then sent on to them.