Buckeye Reporter

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted shared information about Ohio driver's licenses and mobile ID in a Dec. 12 post on X, stating, "Now, Ohio is leading the way with Mobile ID in Apple Wallet - making it easier for Ohioans to protect their identities and help businesses fight fraud."

"In 2023, approximately 233 million Americans had a driver's license," said Husted, Lt. Governor. "Now, Ohio is leading the way with Mobile ID in Apple Wallet - making it easier for Ohioans to protect their identities and help businesses fight fraud, thanks to @JonHusted 's #InnovateOhio."

According to Governor Mike DeWine and Husted, Ohio residents now have the ability to add their Ohio-issued driver’s license or state identification card to their Apple Wallet. This enables them to use digital identification at various businesses and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints, including John Glenn Columbus International Airport and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. They also announced an age verification app for businesses that allows owners to securely accept customers’ mobile driver’s licenses and ID cards using an iPhone.

Screenshot of Lt. Gov. Jon Husted's Dec. 12 post on X | X

"InnovateOhio aims to make Ohio the most innovative, entrepreneurial state in the Midwest while enhancing convenience for residents through technology," said Husted in an Aug. 1 news release. He added that adding an Ohio driver's license or ID to Apple Wallet is a step towards modernizing the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) and simplifying processes for residents. Husted noted that they have launched an app for businesses to read Ohio Mobile IDs.

However, according to an Aug. 13 report from Ohio Capital Journal, there are issues with the new technology as digital IDs do not work during traffic stops or voting due to the need for special terminals and software. Dan Tierney, spokesman for DeWine’s office, explained this issue via email: "The reason that you are seeing TSA checkpoints announced before other transaction points is the sheer number of terminals involved. An airport will only need a dozen or so, while implementation with polling locations and law enforcement patrols will require the purchase of tens of thousands of terminals or other devices that contain the required hardware and software."

Jon Husted was adopted and raised in Northwest Ohio's Williams County. He earned multiple degrees from the University of Dayton and previously served as vice president at the Dayton-Area Chamber of Commerce before entering public service. According to his official biography, Husted has served as Ohio Secretary of State and House Speaker. First elected Lt. Governor in 2018, he was reelected in 2022. Husted and his wife Tina have three children.