Politics

Ohio Enshrines Voter ID Into State Constitution — And Elects A Democrat Who Opposes It

Sen. Sherrod Brown (Screenshot YouTube/WTOL11)

Ohio voters cast their final ballots on Tuesday night, passing a proposed constitutional amendment requiring voter ID.

About two thirds of Ohio citizens voted in favor of Ohio Issue 3, amending the state constitution to require voters to show an unexpired government-issued identification at the polls for future elections, the Hill reported. While the state’s law had already required showing photo ID to cast a ballot, this new vote specifically enshrines those requirements in the state constitution.

Former Democratic Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown flipped the seat formerly held by Vice President JD Vance by defeating appointed Republican Ohio Sen. Jon Husted — returning to the upper chamber after a two-year absence. Brown was vocally opposed to the ballot measure since the start of his campaign.

“For years, Ohio has had safe and secure elections that have been administered in a bipartisan fashion. It’s wrong that people are trying to sow distrust in our election systems,” Brown told the Dayton Daily News back in March. “Our leaders should be trying to make it easier to vote, not creating unnecessary barriers that threaten the ability of hardworking Ohioans to vote early, mail in their ballots, or vote on Election Day.”

Also on Tuesday, Democratic nominee Amy Acton won Ohio’s gubernatorial race, defeating Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy. Unlike Brown, Acton said she supported the voter ID amendment on the ballot, breaking with most elected officials in her party, according to Signal Statewide.

“This amendment has overwhelming support from Ohioans across the state. As this doesn’t change what is already law, as governor, I will support it,” Acton said in a statement to the outlet in August. “At the same time, as both a candidate and governor, I will fight to ensure that all eligible Ohio voters, regardless of party, can access the required identification easily and at no cost, so they can exercise their fundamental right and have their voices heard.”

Spokespersons from Brown’s and Acton’s campaigns did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

Acton’s decision put her at odds with most of the Democratic Party, as every Democrat in the state House and Senate who voted on the official measure that placed Issue 3 on the ballot, voted against it.

Polls show Voter ID has wide support across demographic groups including both political parties. Ninety-eight percent of Republicans, 84 percent of independents and 67 percent of Democrats supported requiring “all voters to provide photo identification at their voting place in order to vote,” an October 2024 Gallup poll found.