A bipartisan bill that started out as an avenue for homeless Ohioans to get free identifying documents like birth certificates and state ID cards has turned into something else. A changed version of House Bill 472 is being fast tracked for passage this week.
The House-passed bipartisan bill was simple until a sub bill was accepted, according to Sen. Bill DeMora (D-Columbus), who said it changes rules for mail-in voting.
“You must include a copy of your state-issued ID inside your ballot," DeMora said.
Concerns about mail-in voting were raised in the discussion of the proposed resolution to put an amendment requiring in-person voter photo ID before voters this fall. Advocates who've raised questions about voter fraud said not including mail-in voters in that amendment opens the door to fraud, though voter fraud is very rare among in-person and mail-in voters.
This legislation is too much and is happening too fast, said Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio.
“The way this is written is very sloppy. It’s going to cause a lot of confusion for voters," Miller said. “We have privacy concerns. This would require voters to upload videos and their ID to a portal but there’s nothing in there to ensure voters’ privacy. They could be treated as public records and therefore made public."
A Republican officeholder who is often at odds with Miller agreed on this issue. Secretary of State Frank LaRose also worried the bill and its changes are being rushed.
“I have a general concern that when something like this is done this quickly there can be unintended consequences," LaRose said.
And LaRose said part of the bill that would allow electronic voter interaction would require money from the state to make that a reality.
LaRose and Miller also said elections officials statewide have concerns about fast-tracking the bill which could pass this week.