Ohio voters across Hamilton County head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3, to decide Issue 3, a proposed constitutional amendment that would write the state's existing photo-ID voting requirement into the Ohio Constitution. It is the only statewide ballot measure this election.

Election results are pending. This article will be updated as election officials release vote totals.

Early voting in Hamilton County was on pace to break the county's midterm record, Fox 19 reported. Sherry Poland, director of the Hamilton County Board of Elections, said the previous record for early in-person voting in a midterm was about 34,000 ballots.

What Issue 3 would do

The Ohio General Assembly placed the amendment on the ballot through Senate Joint Resolution 10 (SJR 10), a Republican-sponsored resolution that passed in June. At least three-fifths of the elected members of each chamber of the legislature approved it, according to the Secretary of State's certified materials. A majority yes vote would add Section 5 to Article V of the Ohio Constitution, effective immediately.

A yes vote approves the constitutional requirement. A no vote rejects the amendment and leaves the existing voter-ID law in place. Rejecting Issue 3 would not repeal Ohio's current photo-ID requirement for in-person voting.

In-person voting

Ohio already requires photo ID for in-person voting under a 2023 law (House Bill 458), as Cleveland 19 reported. The state's current voter-ID guide lists accepted documents.

Under the amendment, approved documents must contain the voter's name and photograph and be unexpired. They include an Ohio driver's license or state ID card, a qualifying temporary Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) document, a U.S. passport or passport card, a U.S. military ID, an Ohio National Guard ID or a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID.

The official explanation allows state law to provide alternative identity verification for voters who lack photo ID because of a sincere religious objection to being photographed.

Digital driver's licenses stored in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet are not accepted, according to the Hamilton County Board of Elections.

Absentee and mail voting

For voters who do not cast ballots in person, the proposal requires photo ID or, if authorized by law, a signature and at least one other qualifying unique identifier. That alternative depends on legislation. The amendment does not require lawmakers to preserve it permanently.

Under current law, absentee voters can use a driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number, as Fox 8 reported.

Arguments for and against

In their official argument, supporters Rep. Adam Bird, Rep. Heidi Workman, Sen. Theresa Gavarone and Sen. Jane Timken said constitutional photo-ID requirements would deter impersonation, improve public confidence and protect the rule from repeal by future legislative majorities.

In a June news release, Timken argued the measure is important in the age of artificial intelligence. She referenced previous Ohio law that, before 2023, allowed voters to use utility bills and bank statements as identification.

Opponents Sen. Bill DeMora, Rep. Desiree Tims and Rep. Terrence Upchurch argued in their official filing that existing law already requires photo ID and that constitutionalizing the list limits flexibility as identification technology changes. They also said the proposal lacks guarantees for absentee voting, early voting and free state IDs.

The ACLU of Ohio opposes Issue 3, calling it redundant. Both gubernatorial candidates, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat Amy Acton, said they support the measure, according to Fox 8.

How to check results

Ohio polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Voters in line by 7:30 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

Hamilton County residents in Evendale, Woodlawn, Sharonville and Springdale can check local returns on the Hamilton County Board of Elections results page. Statewide totals will be posted on the Secretary of State's election website. Election-night totals remain unofficial until certified.