Ohio Governor Mike DeWine vetoed House Bill 472 on June 24, 2026. The bill would have required most voters to provide photo identification when requesting or returning an absentee ballot.

Under the proposed legislation, voters could have provided state or federal photo ID by submitting a copy, using a live capture image through an online portal, or showing the ID to election officials when hand-delivering an absentee ballot application. If a voter did not provide ID when requesting a ballot, they would have been required to provide two of the following: the last four digits of their Social Security number, their driver's license number or state identification card number, or a signature. Additionally, the bill would have required voters to include a copy of their ID when returning their ballot by mail or to present their ID to election officials when returning the ballot in person.

Certain groups would have been exempt from providing a copy of their ID when returning an absentee ballot under HB 472, including overseas and military voters, individuals with a religious objection to being photographed, and individuals unable to provide an ID due to a disability or medical condition. Exempt voters would have been permitted to sign an affirmation and submit their driver's license number, state identification card number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number when returning their ballot.

In his veto message, DeWine said, "The bill was all burden for so little benefit and would not discourage fraud, would not add any real security, and would create an additional and significant burden for Ohioans who vote by mail."

The Ohio House passed HB 472 on June 10, 2026, with a vote of 60-34. The Ohio Senate also passed the bill on June 10, 2026, by a vote of 23-10.

State Treasurer Robert Sprague said, "Photo ID is a common sense, commonplace requirement in everyday life and the most trustworthy means of ensuring that a person is who they say they are." Sprague added, "The legislation would have served as a significant deterrent to mail-in voter fraud and made Ohio elections more secure, which is the point."

Overriding a gubernatorial veto in Ohio requires 60 votes in the House and 20 votes in the Senate. The Ohio General Assembly is scheduled to next convene in September 2026. Ohio currently mandates photo identification for in-person voting. For absentee ballots, Ohio voters are presently required to provide either a copy of their state or federal photo ID, their driver's license number, state identification card number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number when applying for and returning a ballot.

Why It Matters

Governor DeWine's veto of HB 472 impacts proposed changes to Ohio's voting procedures for absentee ballots. The bill aimed to extend photo identification requirements to the absentee voting process, which currently requires photo ID only for in-person voting. Legislative efforts regarding voter identification in Ohio are part of a broader trend, as 23 states introduced 57 bills related to voter ID for absentee voting in 2026.

Other states have varying requirements for absentee voter identification. Alabama, Kentucky, and New Hampshire require voters to provide a copy of their photo identification when requesting an absentee ballot. Arkansas and North Carolina require voters to submit a copy of their photo identification when returning an absentee ballot. Eight states require copies of photo identification when applying for absentee ballots in certain situations, while Oklahoma and South Carolina require copies when returning absentee ballots in specific cases. Ohio and Georgia currently require either a copy of photo identification or an identification number when applying for and returning an absentee ballot in some situations.