Ballot Issue

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.

The community college says it is considering asking Franklin County voters to approve a 10-year, 1.9-mill levy that would generate $95 million annually.

The proposed change would make it so only voters within each of Columbus' nine districts vote for their council member.

Issue 5 creates a team to send trained, non-police responders to emergency calls that don't involve a weapon or intent to harm. The amendment had no organized opposition.

Issue 5 on the May 5 primary ballot asks voters if they want to establish a team of clinicians and social workers to respond to non-violent crises in place of police officers.

Rob Dorans wants a system with a mix of both 'at-large' council members elected by the whole city and district representatives that are only elected by voters within certain boundaries. The current system only has at-large council members with a district residency requirement.