Ohio’s Republican governor has vetoed a GOP-backed bill that would have required absentee voters to submit a copy of their photo ID along with their mail ballots, drawing sharp criticism from election-integrity conservatives across the state.
Gov. Mike DeWine announced the veto of House Bill 472 on Wednesday night, alongside several other bill signings and one additional veto. HB 472, sponsored by state Rep. Jodi Salvo of Bolivar, would have imposed the photo ID requirement on absentee voters starting in 2027.
DeWine argued the measure would create unnecessary obstacles for mail voters without delivering any meaningful boost to election security. He pointed to Ohio’s existing system, which he described as already among the most secure and well-run in the country.
According to a report, DeWine explained his reasoning directly: “While on paper one can make the case that there is a pathway for absentee voters to overcome the hurdles to voting that this bill creates, if the net result is that a number of voters will be deterred from making the attempt to vote, that result is hurtful, not helpful.” He did acknowledge one positive element of the bill, praising a provision allowing online absentee ballot applications, but said it was not enough to save the legislation overall.
The decision is expected to frustrate conservatives who have spent years pushing for stricter voting rules, particularly around mail ballots and voter ID requirements.
DeWine also vetoed HB 173, a separate bill dealing with submetered utility services. That measure, sponsored by state Rep. David Thomas of Jefferson, would have exempted submetering companies from Ohio’s public utility definition. DeWine said the consumer protections included in the bill fell short of those already afforded to customers of the state’s established electric utilities.
On the other side of the ledger, DeWine signed a number of bills into law the same evening. Among them, Senate Bill 19 addresses academic intervention services and career-technical education for home-schooled students. Senate Bill 52 designates several memorial highways and creates new specialty license plates. Senate Bill 106 deals with electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Senate Bill 179 requires institutions to verify the veteran status of incarcerated individuals. Senate Bill 219 updates Ohio law governing oil and gas wells.
The governor also signed House Bill 170, which establishes a regulatory framework for carbon capture and storage technologies in the state.
The absentee voter ID veto will likely remain the most politically charged decision of the bunch, putting DeWine at odds with a significant wing of his own party heading into a continued national debate over election rules.