Ohio Ballot Board Approves Voter ID Constitutional Amendment

The Ohio Ballot Board approved the official language on August 4, 2026, for Issue 3, a constitutional amendment regarding voter identification. The measure will appear on the November 3 general election ballot and asks voters if the state should enshrine the existing photo ID requirement for in-person voting into the Ohio constitution.

Government-issued photo ID has been required for voters since 2023. In June, the GOP-majority legislature passed a resolution to move this requirement into the state constitution to ensure that future general assemblies cannot easily reverse the law. State Senator Theresa Gavarone argued that this change sets a floor to prevent future rollbacks.

Democratic lawmakers opposed the measure, with State Senator Bill DeMora suggesting some colleagues are short-sighted and arguing the move is a strategic effort to influence voter turnout. Secretary of State Frank LaRose noted that a high bar should exist for amending the state's founding document.

Issue 3 is the only statewide ballot issue scheduled for 2026. LaRose confirmed that no citizen-led initiatives will appear on the ballot, citing the difficulty of gathering sufficient signatures for proposals related to data centers and property taxes.