{"id":2613285,"date":"2026-06-11T07:42:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T11:42:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ohio-photo-id-constitutional-amendment-question-goes-to-voters\/"},"modified":"2026-06-11T07:44:54","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T11:44:54","slug":"ohio-photo-id-constitutional-amendment-question-goes-to-voters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ohio-photo-id-constitutional-amendment-question-goes-to-voters\/","title":{"rendered":"Ohio Photo ID Constitutional Amendment Question Goes To Voters"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fohio-photo-id-constitutional-amendment-question-goes-to-voters%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2613285&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Ohio voters will decide in November whether a three-year-old photo ID requirement should be embedded in the Ohio Constitution. The Republican-controlled Ohio House approved a joint resolution (SJR 10) sending the constitutional question to the ballot, after the Ohio Senate advanced it earlier. Support for the amendment is reportedly strong in recent polling,and President Donald Trump has publicly urged Republicans to pass it so voters can \u201cENSHRINE VOTER I.D.\u201d in the state constitution.<\/p>\n<p>Supporters argue the change protects election integrity, while some conservatives and election-integrity activists say the effort is politically driven and incomplete. A key criticism is that SJR 10\u2019s constitutional language does not address photo ID requirements for mail-in (absentee) voting, creating a potential loophole for those voting by mail.<\/p>\n<p>Republican leaders also moved related stricter identification rules through House Bill 472,which would require voters to submit two forms of identification for mail voting via a state portal (such as an electronic signature,a live facial capture image,or a photo copy of photo ID). However, critics say the bill contains broad carveouts-exemptions for people who are sick, disabled, unable to use the electronic process, overseas or military voters, those objecting on religious grounds, certain jailed individuals, and anyone claiming a \u201cmaterial obstacle.\u201d Opponents argue these exceptions could undermine the intended integrity protections and encourage more mail voting.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats and left-leaning voter-rights groups contend the proposals are designed to suppress voting, while national election-watchd o g groups support photo ID but want the same standards applied to every ballot, not only those cast in person.<\/p>\n<p>Gov. Mike DeWine must decide whether to sign the related bill, and critics warn the overall approach-constitutional amendment plus separate legislation-may result in avoidable complexity and \u201clegal loopholes\u201d rather than a clean, consistent voter ID regime.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>It\u2019s now up to Ohio voters to decide whether a three-year-old photo identification law will be an enshrined amendment to the Buckeye State constitution \u2014 an amendment President Donald Trump vehemently endorsed this week.  <\/p>\n<p>Ready to skip off to summer recess, The Republican-controlled House on Wednesday night passed a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.ohio.gov\/legislation\/136\/sjr10\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">joint resolution<\/a> that sends constitutional amendment question to voters in November. A recent <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/06\/08\/poll-finds-76-percent-of-ohio-voters-support-enshrining-photo-id-in-state-constitution\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">poll<\/a> showed broad support for amending the state constitution to lock in the law that requires voters show photo ID at the polls. The measure easily <a href=\"https:\/\/ohiocapitaljournal.com\/2026\/06\/04\/ohio-senate-advances-photo-voter-id-amendment-measure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">passed <\/a>the Senate last week. <\/p>\n<p>Ohio Senate President Rob McColley told reporters at the time that he expects overwhelming support for the amendment because it\u2019s \u201cthe type of protection that voters want to see in the system.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis will be, if not the strongest, one of the strongest election integrity, voter identification, photo identification measures,\u201d McColley <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news5cleveland.com\/news\/politics\/ohio-politics\/voter-photo-id-amendment-on-nov-ballot-in-ohio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told<\/a> reporters after Wednesday\u2019s vote in the House. <\/p>\n<p>But some conservatives have warned that the proposed amendment and the passage of an accompanying bill is less about protection and more about political performance. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis whole thing was just done ass backwards,\u201d a frustrated <a href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Marcell_Strbich\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Marcell Strbich,<\/a> a former Ohio Secretary of State candidate and election integrity activist, told The Federalist in a phone interview Wednesday. <\/p>\n<p>Senate Resolution 10 does deliver constitutional protection. The amendment, if approved, would require another referendum to undo it. <\/p>\n<p>But the resolution doesn\u2019t cover photo ID for those voting by mail, something some Ohio Republicans have fought for. Current <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ohiosos.gov\/elections\/voter-ID-requirements\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">law<\/a> does not include the same voter verification requirements for absentee ballots. <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a glaring loophole, resolution critics assert. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you mail in your ballot, you should have to have some type of form of ID. Unfortunately, I don\u2019t see that here, and that raises major concerns for me,\u201d Ohio state Sen. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsandsentinel.com\/news\/local-news\/2026\/06\/ohio-senate-advances-photo-voter-id-amendment-measure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told<\/a> the Parkersburg News and Sentinel. \u201cI think this is creating a loophole within our own constitution if this is indeed passed.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<figure>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<blockquote data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<div lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<p>I voted NO on SJR 10, the voter ID constitutional amendment.<\/p>\n<p>I voted no because the resolution leaves a loophole for mail-in ballots, the most vulnerable form of voting.<\/p>\n<p>Election integrity is critical. Let\u2019s follow President Trump\u2019s lead and mandate photo ID for mail-in voting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u2014 Senator Al Cutrona (@AlCutrona) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AlCutrona\/status\/2062624828641734663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 4, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h2>\u2018Keep Cheating\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>In an attempt to placate lawmakers who argue the resolution didn\u2019t go far enough, Republican leadership shoved an amendment into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.ohio.gov\/legislation\/136\/hb472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">House Bill 472<\/a> that would require those voting by mail to provide two forms of identification, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsandsentinel.com\/news\/local-news\/2026\/06\/ohio-senate-advances-photo-voter-id-amendment-measure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">including<\/a> an electronic signature, a live capture image of their face, or a photo copy of their photo ID. Voters would send the information through a state portal. The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >original bill proposed waiving personal identification fees<\/a> for homeless people.  <\/p>\n<p>But conservative critics say the amended bill includes myriad <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cleveland.com\/news\/2026\/06\/ohio-lawmakers-approve-stricter-id-requirements-for-absentee-voters.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">carveouts<\/a> that would water down the intent of the election integrity protections. Individuals who claim to be sick, disabled, or can\u2019t figure out how to electronically send their photo ID are exempt. Other exemptions include Ohio voters residing overseas or in the military, those who cite religious reasons for objecting to being photographed, or those in jail facing misdemeanor charges. Anyone who faces what the bill describes as a \u201cmaterial obstacle\u201d is exempt, Cleveland.com <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cleveland.com\/news\/2026\/06\/ohio-lawmakers-approve-stricter-id-requirements-for-absentee-voters.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf I\u2019m the Democrats I\u2019m thinking, \u2018If this is the worst these guys could do, we\u2019re going to go ahead and keep cheating,\u201d Strbich said, adding that the bill will only incentivize more individuals voting by mail. <\/p>\n<p>Democrats and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-jerseys-voter-roll-chaos-makes-the-best-case-for-the-save-america-act\/\" title=\"Blue State Makes The Case For The SAVE America Act\">left-leaning \u201cvoter rights\u201d groups<\/a>, per usual, insist the proposed amendment and accompanying bill will disenfranchise Ohio voters. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cObviously this is done to stop people from voting,\u201d Democrat state Sen. Bill DeMora said in a Senate floor speech, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cleveland.com\/news\/2026\/06\/ohio-lawmakers-approve-stricter-id-requirements-for-absentee-voters.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a> by Cleveland.com. <\/p>\n<h2>\u2018I Will Be Watching\u2019 <\/h2>\n<p>National players have weighed in on the voter verification proposals, including the Election Transparency Initiative. ETI supports the constitutional amendment, but it has urged lawmakers to hold the same standards for absentee voting. Ken Cuccinelli, National Chairman of the watchdog organization, said Ohio\u2019s photo ID laws should be consistent. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf voter ID belongs in Ohio\u2019s Constitution, it should apply to every ballot \u2014 not just the ones cast in person,\u201d Cuccinelli, former Virginia attorney general, said in a press release ahead of Wednesday\u2019s vote. \u201cElection integrity doesn\u2019t stop at the mailbox. Ohio has made tremendous progress, but absentee voting should be held to the same standards that apply at the polling place.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Republican lawmakers moved the proposals through under the watchful eye of President Trump, who has lit a fire under the GOP-controlled Congress and state legislatures to bolster election security. In a Truth Social post earlier this week, Trump congratulated Ohio\u2019s Senate Republicans for passing the resolution and blasted Democrats for trying to stop it. <\/p>\n<p>The president urged House members to \u201cPASS THIS NOW\u201d so that the \u201cGreat People of Ohio can vote to enshrine VOTER I.D. in the State Constitution.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI will be watching, and am strongly supportive of this Resolution,\u201d Trump wrote, upping the pressure. <\/p>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<p>It would appear the amendment is on a\u00a0smooth path to passage. <\/p>\n<p>As The Federalist <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/06\/08\/poll-finds-76-percent-of-ohio-voters-support-enshrining-photo-id-in-state-constitution\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a> earlier this week, a recent <a href=\"https:\/\/honestelections.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Honest Elections Project\u00a0Action<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/hepaction.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/HEP-June-2026-OH-Polling-Memo1.pdf\">poll<\/a> found 86 percent of likely Ohio voters surveyed believe that photo ID should be required to vote at the polls. And the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/majority-believe-1-7-trillion-omnibus-was-a-disaster\/\" title=\"Majority Believe .7 Trillion Omnibus Was a &quot;Disaster&quot;\">poll found 76 percent<\/a> of respondents would vote for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/poll-finds-76-percent-of-ohio-voters-support-enshrining-photo-id-in-state-constitution\/\" title=\"Poll Finds 76% Of ... Want ... In ...\">constitutional amendment requiring voters<\/a> to show photo ID \u2014 54 percent strongly in favor. <\/p>\n<p>If approved, the constitutional amendment will lock in the basic photo ID requirements. But critics say the language leaves much to be desired. <\/p>\n<p>Gov. Mike DeWine still must decide whether he\u2019s going to sign the clean-up photo ID bill that critics say makes a bigger mess of a \u201cbackwards\u201d process. Strbich sees the process as more performance from Republicans who want the show of a big election integrity victory. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow they\u2019re going to say they have a bill to require photo ID for all ballots. They\u2019re not wrong,\u201d he said. But all of the exemptions in the bill and the failure of the legislature to write photo ID requirements for absentee ballots into the resolution \u201cleaves a lot of legal loopholes,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Matt Kittle is a senior elections correspondent for The Federalist. An award-winning investigative reporter and 30-year veteran of print, broadcast, and online journalism, Kittle previously served as the executive director of Empower Wisconsin.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ohio voters will decide if a photo ID law-backed by Trump-becomes a constitutional amendment<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":656,"featured_media":2613286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-11-at-12.17.48-AM-1024x575.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[46983,4333,38696],"class_list":["post-2613285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-constitutional-amendment","tag-ohio","tag-voter-information"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-11-at-12.17.48-AM-1024x575.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2613285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/656"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2613285"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2613285\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2613290,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2613285\/revisions\/2613290"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2613286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2613285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2613285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2613285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}