Opponents Say Columbus Charter Change Could Stifle Democracy

Columbus city voters next week will decide whether to make changes to the city's governing document. Nineteen city charter amendment proposals are bunched into three ballot issues. The most controversial issue would change the process of getting initiatives petitions on the ballot. On the ballot it's listed as "Issue 7." It changes the process people need to go through to get questions on the city ballot, like to overturn a tax increase or recall a city council member. Marchelle Moore co-chaired the charter review commission, and says the changes only clarify what groups need to do to collect signatures and get questions on the ballot.

But critics say the new rules do more than just clarify the rules: They make it tougher to get questions on the ballot. The group Columbus Coalition for Responsive Government urges a no vote on issue 7. It's the same group that helped defeat recent tax levies for Columbus City Schools and the Columbus Zoo.

Of course Columbus City Council is actually an elected body, but in the past decades, nearly all of its members were first appointed to council to fill a seat left by a member who resigned. Those appointed candidates then ran with the advantage of incumbency for their first full terms. Beard's group wants to change that process through a ballot question. Issue 7, if approved, will make it tougher to get on the ballot because Beard's group will have to collect more signatures. "Under Issue 7," says co-chair Moore, "the signature goal would only change every four years, mirroring the last regular mayoral election, rather than every two years, which would reflect the last municipal election." Beard says the change means groups like his will have to collect a lot more signatures. "This makes a change to say percent of mayoral election. The number who voted in the mayoral election. That's roughly double the number that voted in the most recent election.

Issue 7 would also move certification of citizen petitions from council clerk to council itself. Beard says that too is a problem. "It centralizes even more power with the city council," Beard says. Moore counters the charter change makes council more accountable. "It would take it from a private process, essentially where the city clerk works hand-in hand with the city attorney's office to determine whether a petition is legally sufficient," Moore says. "But that process will now be done in a public meeting by the elected officials and they have to take a vote on it. So, it's actually much more transparent process." The proposed changes to Columbus election law are bundled into a single issue. Issue 7. Two other issues, 6 and 8, address charter rule changes for city administrators and city elected officials. The Columbus Coaltion for Responsive Government opposes only Issue 7.