Ohio Republicans push voter ID constitutional amendment

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(The Center Square) – Proposed resolutions in the Ohio legislature would give citizens the chance to make voter photo identification, already required by state law for in-person voting, a part of the state constitution as well.

That would make it harder to eliminate the voter-identification requirement, sponsors of the proposed constitutional amendment said Wednesday.

“Some states have had statutes that required photo ID and then changed those statutes,” Ohio House Speaker Rep. Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said at a news conference Wednesday.

If the requirement is part of the state constitution, only voters, not legislators, could eliminate the photo identification requirement, the speaker said.

“I think we have a responsibility to put things on the ballot that have a reasonable chance of passing. I think we all believe that this would pass overwhelmingly,” Huffman said.

If the legislation passes, voters would decide in November whether to amend the constitution to include the voter photo identification requirement.

The amendment as worded in the legislation would require photo identification for in-person voting. It would allow a person without a photo ID to cast a provisional ballot and to later provide a photo identification. It would allow an alternative method of verification for those who object to photo identification because of religious reasons.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio immediately criticized the proposed amendment.

"The Ohio Constitution exists to protect people’s liberties and freedoms, not to enable political gamesmanship,” the organization said. “We the people should be able to exercise our sacred right to vote, free from aggressive government overreach and roadblocks. Senate Joint Resolution 10 and a companion House Resolution were introduced to sway electoral outcomes by preventing people from voting. The ACLU of Ohio strenuously opposes these resolutions and will use the full force of our organization to fight this coordinated attack on our freedom.”

House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn did not immediately return a call or email requesting comment on the proposed constitutional amendment.

Republican leaders denied that the ballot initiative is designed to drive conservative voters to the polls this fall.

They said that requiring picture identification has widespread support from voters in both parties.

“Voter confidence in our election system is lower than it has been in a while,” Senate President Rob McColley said Wednesday. “Despite the fact that this is already in Ohio’s code, we offer voters the opportunity to decide for themselves whether they want to put this in the Constitution, offering it the highest level of protection.”