Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday signed a bill that will require Ohio voters to show a photo ID when voting in person, either early or on Election Day.
House Bill 458 replaces current law, which gives voters the option of presenting alternate forms of ID, like a current utility bill, bank statement or paycheck with their current address. The bill includes a provision requiring the state BMV to issue free state ID cards to those who request them.
The new law also includes a slew of other measures, including largely ending special elections in August, specifying that county boards of election can offer only a single drop box for completed absentee ballots, and eliminating the day of early, in-person voting the day before Election Day.
In addition, it changes the deadline to apply for an absentee ballot to seven days before Election Day, compared to the current deadline of three days. It also cuts the grace period for late-arriving absentees from 10 days under current law to four days, as long as the ballots are postmarked before Election Day.
A lawsuit already has been filed.