- Jun 24, 2025
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Ohio's Republican governor just rejected a bill from his own party that would have forced mail voters to include a photocopy of their identification with every absentee ballot. Gov. Mike DeWine announced his veto of House Bill 472 on Wednesday evening, as first covered here, alongside a handful of other legislative actions.
The legislation, put forward by state Rep. Jodi Salvo representing Bolivar, was set to take effect beginning in 2027. DeWine contended that the proposal would place unnecessary barriers in front of people who vote by mail, all without providing any real improvement to the integrity of elections. He noted that Ohio already operates one of the strongest and most efficiently managed voting systems in the nation.
In explaining his position, DeWine offered a candid assessment. He said that while a theoretical argument exists for absentee voters being able to clear the obstacles this bill would introduce, the practical outcome could be very different. If the end result is that some voters simply give up on trying to cast their ballots, he argued, that outcome does more harm than good.
DeWine did highlight one component of the legislation that he found worthwhile. A provision enabling voters to submit absentee ballot applications through an online portal earned his praise. However, that single feature was not sufficient for him to approve the entire package.
This veto is almost certain to anger conservatives who have long advocated for tightening voting procedures, especially when it comes to mail ballots and identification verification. The decision puts DeWine squarely at odds with a vocal segment of his party at a time when election rules remain a heated topic nationally.
That same evening, DeWine also rejected House Bill 173, a separate piece of legislation introduced by state Rep. David Thomas of Jefferson. That bill sought to remove submetering companies from the legal classification of public utilities in Ohio. The governor concluded that its consumer protection provisions were weaker than protections already available to customers of traditional electric companies in the state.
On a more productive note, DeWine put his signature on several other bills during the same session. Senate Bill 19 focuses on academic support services and career oriented technical education for students who are homeschooled. Senate Bill 52 creates new memorial highway designations along with additional specialty license plates. Senate Bill 106 covers infrastructure for electric vehicle charging stations. Senate Bill 179 establishes a requirement for institutions to confirm whether incarcerated individuals are military veterans. Senate Bill 219 modernizes state regulations surrounding oil and gas well operations. Finally, House Bill 170 sets up a regulatory structure for carbon capture and storage technology within Ohio.
Of all these legislative moves, the absentee identification veto is poised to generate the loudest political reaction, placing the governor in a difficult position within his own party as the broader national conversation about voting rules shows no signs of cooling off.
Continue reading more about it at: Governor DeWine Vetoes Absentee Photo ID Legislation, and His Own Party Is Not Happy
The legislation, put forward by state Rep. Jodi Salvo representing Bolivar, was set to take effect beginning in 2027. DeWine contended that the proposal would place unnecessary barriers in front of people who vote by mail, all without providing any real improvement to the integrity of elections. He noted that Ohio already operates one of the strongest and most efficiently managed voting systems in the nation.
In explaining his position, DeWine offered a candid assessment. He said that while a theoretical argument exists for absentee voters being able to clear the obstacles this bill would introduce, the practical outcome could be very different. If the end result is that some voters simply give up on trying to cast their ballots, he argued, that outcome does more harm than good.
DeWine did highlight one component of the legislation that he found worthwhile. A provision enabling voters to submit absentee ballot applications through an online portal earned his praise. However, that single feature was not sufficient for him to approve the entire package.
This veto is almost certain to anger conservatives who have long advocated for tightening voting procedures, especially when it comes to mail ballots and identification verification. The decision puts DeWine squarely at odds with a vocal segment of his party at a time when election rules remain a heated topic nationally.
That same evening, DeWine also rejected House Bill 173, a separate piece of legislation introduced by state Rep. David Thomas of Jefferson. That bill sought to remove submetering companies from the legal classification of public utilities in Ohio. The governor concluded that its consumer protection provisions were weaker than protections already available to customers of traditional electric companies in the state.
On a more productive note, DeWine put his signature on several other bills during the same session. Senate Bill 19 focuses on academic support services and career oriented technical education for students who are homeschooled. Senate Bill 52 creates new memorial highway designations along with additional specialty license plates. Senate Bill 106 covers infrastructure for electric vehicle charging stations. Senate Bill 179 establishes a requirement for institutions to confirm whether incarcerated individuals are military veterans. Senate Bill 219 modernizes state regulations surrounding oil and gas well operations. Finally, House Bill 170 sets up a regulatory structure for carbon capture and storage technology within Ohio.
Of all these legislative moves, the absentee identification veto is poised to generate the loudest political reaction, placing the governor in a difficult position within his own party as the broader national conversation about voting rules shows no signs of cooling off.
Continue reading more about it at: Governor DeWine Vetoes Absentee Photo ID Legislation, and His Own Party Is Not Happy