“And I know what it takes to run an election where it is easy to vote and hard to cheat.”
View Husted’s remarks here.
WASHINGTON – The Senate today voted on Sen. Jon Husted’s (R-Ohio) amendment to require voters to show photo ID at the polls.
Senate Democrats blocked the amendment from reaching the 60-vote threshold needed to advance, with a final vote of 53-47.
As the only Republican Senator with experience as serving as Secretary of State, Husted is leading the effort to implement nationwide photo ID requirements, something more than 80% of Americans support.
With 23 states—including Ohio—already requesting voters present photo ID, Husted points to Ohio’s elections as the gold standard for being both secure and accessible.
Husted’s amendment would’ve allowed Americans to vote by showing one of the following five forms of identification: state issued driver’s license, state issued ID, U.S. passport, military or veterans ID with a picture and an expiration date or a tribal ID with a picture and an expiration date.
Husted spoke on his amendment prior to the vote. His remarks include:
“Before I became a U.S. Senator, I spent two terms as the Ohio Secretary of State and oversaw presidential elections, gubernatorial elections, Senate elections.
“And I know what it takes to run an election where it is easy to vote and hard to cheat.”
. . .
“So I listened carefully to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. They’ve said that they don’t object to photo ID, only the other provisions of the SAVE America Act.”
. . .
“We’re going to take them at their word and offer an opportunity to turn those words into action.
In just a few minutes, the Senate will take a roll call, vote on a clean, simple, straightforward amendment of mine to require a photo ID to vote in American elections.”
. . .
“You can use a driver’s license, state ID, passport, military or veterans ID, or a tribal ID, something that everyone has access to. No additional restrictions, no tricks, no games, no prohibition on absentee voting.”
. . .
“36 states already have some form of voter ID law in place.
“This proposal isn’t theoretical.
“This photo ID legislation has proven the test of elections across the nation.
“It works.
“States across our country have shown that you can simultaneously make it easy to vote and hard to cheat.”
. . .
“So, the question before this body is very simple.
“Should you have to show who you are when you vote?
“The American people have answered that question as yes by an overwhelming margin.
“Roughly 80-20 Americans support requiring a photo ID to vote.”
. . .
“If you oppose this amendment, then let’s be honest, it’s not the other provisions in the SAVE America Act that you oppose.
“You object to photo ID itself because that’s what this vote is: simply straightforward photo ID.”
. . .
“It’s time to set a nationwide standard for election integrity, and a yes vote on this amendment will do that.”
View Husted’s full remarks here.
View Husted’s amendment here.