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Ohio · November 3, 2026 general election · Statewide ballot measure

State Issue 3: what your vote means

Photo identification to vote. On every Ohio ballot. Official sources checked October 26, 2026.

State Issue 3 · Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

Photo identification to vote

Official ballot title (quoted exactly)

Proposed Constitutional Amendment. To require voters to present photo identification in order to vote. Proposed by Joint Resolution of the General Assembly. To enact Section 5 of Article V of the Constitution of the State of Ohio. A majority yes vote is required for the adoption of Section 5. This proposed amendment would: Require voters to present an approved form of government-issued photo identification in order to vote. Allow state law to provide for an alternative method of verifying a voter’s identity for a voter who has a sincere religious objection to being photographed and, therefore, does not possess an approved form of government-issued photo identification. Require that voters who do not vote in person provide an approved form of government-issued photo identification, unless the law authorizes those persons to vote by providing a signature and at least one other specified unique identifier. Define approved forms of government-issued photo identification as an unexpired Ohio driver license or state identification card; a United States passport or passport card; or a United States military identification card, Ohio National Guard identification card, or United States Department of Veterans Affairs identification card. If approved, the amendment shall take effect immediately. Shall the amendment be approved?

Certified ballot language posted by the Ohio Secretary of State (file dated August 3, 2026), as also published by county boards of elections.

A YES vote means:

The Ohio Constitution would require voters to present an approved government-issued photo ID to vote, and voters not voting in person would need photo ID unless state law allows a signature plus another identifier.

A NO vote means:

The constitution would not change; voter ID rules would remain set by state law.

What it would change

  • Who is affected: all Ohio voters and county boards of elections.
  • Approved IDs: unexpired Ohio driver license or state ID, U.S. passport or passport card, and U.S. military, Ohio National Guard, or VA ID.
  • Exception: state law may allow another way to verify voters with a sincere religious objection to being photographed.
  • Fiscal impact: No official fiscal statement is published for this amendment.

Official arguments, summarized

Short neutral summaries of the arguments printed in the official voters’ pamphlet. The committees that wrote them are responsible for their content. Read the full text at the link below.

Argument for

Supporters say photo ID helps verify identity and prevent impersonation, that a constitutional requirement keeps the rule from changing with shifting political majorities, and that it adds little burden because photo ID is already required by state law and free state ID cards are available.

Written by: Representative Adam Bird, Representative Heidi Workman, Senator Theresa Gavarone, and Senator Jane Timken

Argument against

Opponents say photo ID is already state law and voter impersonation is very rare, that the amendment does not protect absentee or early voting or free IDs, and that it would exclude some IDs in use today, such as county veterans IDs and digital military IDs, and future digital IDs.

Written by: Senator Bill DeMora and Representatives Desiree Tims and Terrence Upchurch

Arguments in support of and against Issue 3, certified by the Ohio Ballot Board, Secretary of State’s Issue 3 report (PDF, p. 3)

Who supports it and who opposes it

These lists come from official campaign filings (registered committees) and public endorsements, each linked to its source. They are not complete, and SaveYourState does not endorse anyone listed. Lists checked October 30, 2026.

Who supports it

Who opposes it

Official sources

SaveYourState is independent and nonpartisan, not a government site, and does not take positions on ballot measures. This explainer describes effects only, using the official ballot title, explanatory statement, full text, and fiscal impact statement. If anything here differs from those documents, the official documents control.