Those voting in person on Nov. 7 will need a state of Ohio photo ID to cast their ballot. Advocates on campus say this could mean issues for students.

Kent State Votes, an Undergraduate Student Government affiliated organization, works to keep students informed about the upcoming election and what forms of identification students need when they vote.

Zach Graves, junior political science major and Kent State Votes’ chair of organizational management and development, said it is important for students to acknowledge Ohio’s recent voter identification restrictions, signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine on Jan. 6, 2023.

“[Voter identification restrictions] kind of target college students, especially out of state students,” Graves said. “Recognizing that and making sure we know going into the polls that they’ve made some changes.”

These restrictions no longer allow out-of-state IDs to be used as identification for voting, Graves said.

“If [out-of-state students] register, chances are they’re not going to go to the BMV and get an Ohio driver’s license,” Graves said. “They want to use the one that they had before.”

Voters are also not allowed to use utility bills as identification under the new law, Graves said.

State issued photo IDs such as driver’s licenses and temporary driver’s licenses, as well as passports or passport cards or military ID cards are acceptable forms of voter identification, Graves said.

“An Ohio driver’s license works, a state ID card works if you have a temporary driver’s license, so if you haven’t received the card yet but you have that paper, you can use that,” Graves said. 

Graves said only one form of the approved identification is needed for when going to vote.

Voters without a photo ID can still vote absentee by filling in their social security number. The deadline to request an absentee ballot has passed.

The polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday Nov. 7 and Nov. 13 is the last day mail-in ballots will be accepted.

“Spread the word, get out and vote and be informed on the issues you care about,” Graves said.

Students living on campus will vote at the KSU Wellness Center, the Kent Christian Life Center or the United Methodist Church. Find your polling place here.

Adriana Gasiewski is a staff reporter. Contact her at [email protected].