The following is Ohio State Law: Section 3509.06 Counting absent voters' ballots:
(3)(a) An identification envelope statement of voter shall be considered incomplete if it does not include all of the following:
(i) The voter's name;
(ii) The voter's residence address or, if the voter has a confidential voter registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code, the voter's program participant identification number;
(iii) The voter's date of birth. The requirements of this division are satisfied if the voter provided a date of birth and any of the following is true:
(I) The month and day of the voter's date of birth on the identification envelope statement of voter are not different from the month and day of the voter's date of birth contained in the statewide voter registration database.
(II) The voter's date of birth contained in the statewide voter registration database is January 1, 1800.
(III) The board of elections has found, by a vote of at least three of its members, that the voter has met the requirements of divisions (D)(3)(a)(i), (ii), (iv), and (v) of this section.
Analysis of current Ohio Revised Code 3509.06: Date of birth is required on the absent voter’s ballot identification envelope along with the voter’s name and address.
If the voter wrote a month and day on the identification envelope that matches the month and day of their birth date on the voter rolls, but the year written on the identification envelope doesn’t match the voter rolls, no worries; it’s ok if you don’t remember the year you were born; the date of birth requirement is met and your absent voter’s ballot will count as long as the other information on the identification envelope passes inspection.
Regardless of the month, day and year written on the identification envelope for your birth date, if the date of birth on the voter rolls is January 1, 1800, your absent voter’s ballot will count as long as the other information on the identification envelope passes inspection. Let me repeat: you can enter any date as your birth date on the identification envelope and if you are 223 years old with a birth date of January 1, 1800 on the voter registration database, as were over 800 voters in Nov 2022 and over 1,300 voters in Nov 2020, no worries; you passed the date of birth inspection per Ohio state law to vote an absent ballot.
If three of four board of elections members decide that you met the requirements of writing your name and address on the identification envelope and provide acceptable identification, then the date of birth becomes optional and isn’t required at all.
Why even ask for date of birth on the identification envelope if Ohio State Law doesn’t verify it matches the voter rolls?
Keep in mind, voter’s who submit incomplete or incorrect absent voter’s ballots have an opportunity to correct or cure the incorrect or incomplete information on their identification envelope.
We’ve all likely received a notice in the mail that our private information was compromised from a bank or other entity. It’s not difficult for someone to impersonate another person with our stolen personal information and submit an absent voter ballot. When the real person attempts to vote on Election Day, they are told they have already voted.
Why is Ohio Secretary of State making it easier for this to happen by not requiring the date of birth written on the identification envelope match the date of birth on the voter rolls?
The same lack of a valid Birth Date is currently in Ohio law 3505.183 for Provisional Ballots.
If you do not agree with this law, reach out to The Secretary of State or your Ohio state senator/representative to let them know this is unacceptable in Ohio elections, and demand change.