Ballot Issue

The issues would make it so the nine existing city council seats are only elected by voters within the nine districts. Issue 9 makes other changes too.

As of 5 p.m. on Tuesday, half of Franklin County's registered voters have cast a ballot.

The organization Voters Have Choices is running ads urging people only to support Issue 8 while other groups support a "yes" vote on both issues.

A political action committee named "Voters Have Choices" is funded entirely by a man named Darryl Tanner. He's trying to influence a local ballot issue campaign.

Issue 9 would expand city council by four members by 2030. It would create salaries for the new members, two new staff members for each council member and other expenses.

Columbus voters have a choice to make in November on two proposed charter amendments that could change how city council members are elected.

Columbus City Council will consider putting a citizen-led change on the ballot this November at its Monday meeting. Alongside that, council is putting forth what it call "complimentary" proposals to the Our City Our Say petition.

It's in contrast to a ballot measure that Republican state lawmakers championed in 2023 that would have made it harder for citizens to amend the Ohio Constitution.

The Our City Our Say Coalition says no deal was reached with city council to compromise.

Organizers with Our City Our Say submitted more than 23,000 signatures, hoping to force a vote this November to change how Columbus City Council members get elected.