Craig Condemns Legislation to Require Voter ID for Mail-in Voting

This week, state Senator Hearcel F. Craig (D-Columbus) voiced strong concerns after the Ohio General Assembly passed House Bill 472. Originally a bipartisan bill to help Ohioans experiencing homelessness get free identifying documents like birth certificates or state IDs, H.B. 472 was amended at the last minute to require mail-in voters to send a photocopy of their ID in the mail or upload it to a portal when requesting their ballot, putting vulnerable personal information at risk and creating greater barriers to voting by mail.

“Helping Ohioans experiencing homelessness obtain essential documents is a goal that deserves bipartisan support,” said Craig. “The effort to help vulnerable Ohioans obtain essential documents should not be tied to measures that could limit access to the ballot box. These are two very different issues, and Ohioans deserve a transparent debate on each.”

House Bill 472 now heads to the governor for his signature.