Voter identification (ID) laws generally require a person to provide some form of official, government-issued identification to register to vote, receive an absentee ballot, or vote in a state or federal election. For example, the Help America Vote Act of 2002 is a federal law that requires voter ID for all new voters in federal elections who registered by mail and did not provide a driver’s license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number that matched government records. See 52 U.S.C. §20901.

Most states have some form of voter ID requirement, but these laws vary from state to state. Some states request or require voters to show an identification document that has a photo on it, such as a driver’s license, state-issued identification card, military ID, tribal ID, and many other forms of ID. Other states accept non-photo identification such as a bank statement with name and address or other document that does not necessarily have a photo. Voter ID laws are usually located in a state’s statutes.

In Ohio, voter identification laws require individuals to present identification when they vote in person. Acceptable forms of ID include an unexpired Ohio driver's license or state ID card, military ID, a photo ID issued by the federal government or the State of Ohio that contains the voter's name and current address, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the voter's name and current address. Ohio does not require a photo ID specifically; both photo and non-photo IDs are acceptable as long as they provide the required information. These requirements are designed to verify the voter's identity and residency. For absentee voting, Ohio voters do not need to provide ID when they request an absentee ballot, but they must provide their Ohio driver's license number, the last four digits of their Social Security number, or a copy of an acceptable form of ID with their absentee ballot application. The Help America Vote Act of 2002 also applies, requiring new voters who registered by mail and did not provide sufficient ID at the time of registration to show ID the first time they vote in a federal election.