USA TODAY: 12 states have new voter ID laws. Ohio's strict rules blocked 8,000 from voting

BY ERIN MANSFIELD, USA TODAY — JULY 30, 2024

More than 8,000 disenfranchised under Ohio voter ID law

Prior to the new law’s passage, Ohio had a less strict voter ID law that allowed those who could not provide photo ID to use a utility bill or other piece of official mail to verify their identities.

Since Ohio’s voter ID law went into effect, more than 8,000 people have attempted to vote but not had their ballots counted because they didn’t present acceptable ID, according to data from the Ohio Secretary of State’s office.

The elections in question included two that affected whether Ohio would codify abortion rights into the state constitution, and the March 19 primary that nominated Donald Trump-backed businessman Bernie Moreno for Brown’s Senate seat. Analysts say either party could win that race come Nov. 5.

“The Ohio voter ID law only accepts four types of ID,” said Ceridwen Cherry, the legal director for VoteRiders, an advocacy group that helps people get voter ID. “They have to be unexpired. They have to be photo ID, and they have to be government-issued.”

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