Supreme Court of Ohio Issues a Major Ruling on Voter ID Laws — Here Are the 5 Things You Need to Know Right Now.
- The new decision tightens what counts as a valid photo ID at the polls, eliminating out-of-state driver's licenses even for new residents who haven't switched their registration yet.
- Military ID cards and some state-issued veteran IDs are still acceptable, but the ruling clarifies that student IDs from Ohio colleges and universities are not valid for voting.
- The Supreme Court of Ohio ruled that provisional ballots cast without proper ID will be fully rejected unless the voter returns to the board of elections with correct documentation by the Saturday after Election Day.
- If you have a temporary paper ID from the BMV, you must also bring your old, expired photo ID or another approved document — the paper slip alone will not count.
- Election officials are now required to post clear signs at every polling location explaining this rule, but early voting advocates warn that thousands of rural and elderly voters may still be caught off guard by the change.