Gov. DeWine Vetoed Voter ID for Mail-In Ballots. What’s Next?

On Wednesday night, Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, vetoed House Bill 472, which in its final form included provisions requiring photo ID for mail-in ballots. The fight for voter integrity does not appear to be over in the Buckeye State, however.

In vetoing the bill, DeWine released a statement noting that “the bill “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 bill “is all burden for so little benefit. Therefore, this veto is in the public interest,” he added.

DeWine also praised Ohio’s elections, citing Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s comments on Ohio elections being “the gold standard nationwide.”

DeWine’s other concerns included verifying the photo ID and costs incurred for the secretary of state’s office in maintaining a portal and the Board of Elections.

The Ohio Association of Election Officials warned that “senior citizens, individuals living in long-term care facilities, voters with mobility challenges, and those with limited access to technology may face additional burdens that could discourage participation or prevent otherwise eligible voters from casting a ballot,” DeWine added.

Stephanie Kreuz, director of sentinel strategy at Heritage Action, told the Daily Signal that the veto amounted to “betrayal.”

“Gov. DeWine’s veto of HB 472 is a huge betrayal to Ohio voters who expect secure elections. Requiring absentee voters to verify their identity is common sense. By rejecting this measure, Gov. DeWine has chosen to side with radical leftists over reasonable Americans who support strong voter ID protections,” she said.

“Ohio has led on election integrity, but this veto is a step back. Gov. DeWine has needlessly obstructed election reform that would help strengthen the security of Ohio’s elections for future generations. Heritage Action is grateful for the Ohio legislators who are standing with voters in making it easy to vote and hard to cheat.”

A common theme among Republican leaders is disappointment. “We are disappointed by the governor’s veto of House Bill 472, despite 60 out of 65 Republican members of the Ohio House and growing public demand for stronger election safeguards, including voter ID protections,” House Speaker Matt Huffman told the Daily Signal.

However, this may not be the end of the road. Huffman said leaders plan to review the governor’s concerns and evaluate next steps.

“The overwhelming majority of Ohio House Republicans remain committed to protecting the integrity of Ohio’s election system,” he added.

Senate President Rob McColley, who is also the Republican pick for lieutenant governor, also pointed to the popularity of voter ID.

“Photo ID laws are supported by a vast majority of Ohio voters. It is disappointing the governor would oppose such a common sense election security bill when Democrat controlled states such as Virginia and Hawaii have repealed their photo ID laws,” he said in a statement. “HB 472, when combined with this fall’s Constitutional Amendment requiring photo identification to vote, would have given Ohioans the confidence to know that their election system was the most secure in the country.”

Recent polling from Honest Elections Project Action shows that voter ID is popular with likely Ohio voters, as is the specific provision requiring ID for mail-in ballots.

State Sen. Jane Timken, who sponsored the resolution for the state ballot initiative that McColley referenced, issued a similar warning when speaking to the Daily Signal about voter ID laws being repealed elsewhere, including in Virginia.

In May, Republican nominee for governor Vivek Ramaswamy called for enshrining Ohio’s law on voter ID in the state constitution, and the state legislature quickly heeded that call, drafting a resolution and passing it out of both chambers weeks later.

While the governor mentioned concerns for the secretary of state’s office, and even mentioned the current secretary by name, both LaRose and Robert Sprague, the Republican nominee to replace LaRose, chimed in on X to express disappointment.

Sprague’s post referenced Ramaswamy, and the work a new administration can do.

“My priority as Secretary of State is to run the most secure elections in Ohio history, and to that end, as Secretary, I will work with the legislature and Governor Ramaswamy to ensure that all forms of voting are secure, that fraud is prevented, and that cheaters are caught and prosecuted,” he wrote.

Ramaswamy’s own post referenced the importance of photo ID, including for mail-in ballots, while also expressing hope in the ballot initiative for this November.

“This constitutional amendment also enables Ohio lawmakers to expressly apply the photo ID requirement to all ballots, including mail-in ballots (which I would sign into law and which most Ohioans support),” he wrote. As Ramaswamy also mentioned, President Donald Trump has urged support for the ballot initiative.