Ohio Representative Ron Ferguson has put forward a legislative proposal aimed at bolstering the security of the state’s voting system, specifically focusing on absentee ballots. Dubbed the Secure the Vote Act, or HB 577, the bill mandates that those casting absentee ballots – an area of voting that has seen considerable growth – must now provide photo identification in the process.
As reported by the official Ohio House of Representatives website, Rep. Ferguson argued for the necessity of this measure, despite there having been no substantial evidence of widespread voter fraud in Ohio, stating, “The foundation of our republic is fair elections, and we need to close the loophole which allows mail-in voting without photo identification.” This legislation, should it pass, would thrust Ohio alongside North Carolina, providing both states with the same requirement for photo identification for absentee voting…