COLUMBUS — Six in 10 Ohio voters support Issue 3, a proposed constitutional amendment that would require voters to show photo identification at the polls, according to a new Suffolk University/USA TODAY Ohio Network poll released Wednesday.
Issue 3, which Republican lawmakers fast-tracked to qualify for the November ballot earlier this year, would enshrine the state’s photo ID requirement in the Ohio Constitution. Voters casting ballots in person would need an unexpired driver’s license, state ID, passport or military ID. The amendment would leave decisions about mail-in voting rules to the Legislature; under current rules, absentee voters can provide a driver’s license or Social Security number.
Supporters argue that placing the requirement in the constitution protects election integrity against future changes. “Important laws that protect the integrity of voting should be enshrined in the constitution,” said Trent Fagrell, 34, an automotive engineer from Delaware, noting it would be harder for a future set of elected officials to undo.
Opponents counter that the requirement already exists in state law and that voter impersonation is virtually nonexistent. Judy Corbett, 78, a retired public school teacher from Circleville, said changing the constitution is unnecessary and worried the amendment could threaten mail-in voting, which she has used in recent years.
Sara Davis, 46, a parochial school teacher from Liberty Center, said obtaining documents and visiting a Bureau of Motor Vehicles office can be difficult for some voters. “Not everyone has the means to get a state ID,” she said.
The amendment vote comes as Ohio prepares for the Nov. 3 general election, with early voting set to begin next week.
