November 3, 2020 ballot measures in Ohio

Elections in Ohio, 2020

• Election date: Nov. 3
• Registration deadline(s): Oct. 5
• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: No
• Recount laws

• Early voting starts: Oct. 6
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): Nov. 2 (postmarked); Nov. 13 (received)
• Processing, counting, and challenging absentee/mail-in ballots
• Voter ID: Non-photo ID
• Poll times: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

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On the ballot:  • U.S. House • State executive offices • State Senate • State House • Supreme court • Appellate courts • Local judges • Local ballot measures • Municipal • Recalls

Voters in Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Lucas, and Summit counties decided on eleven ballot measures.

HIGHLIGHTS

Columbus voters decided on a charter amendment that would create the Civilian Police Review Board with authority to launch and carry out investigations of alleged police misconduct.

Voters in Akron decided a measure to require the police department to publish police body and dashboard camera footage of the use of any deadly force, whether or not a suspect is killed.

Ohio local ballot measures considered local income taxes; property taxes for school, park, and library districts; and electric service aggregation.

In 2020, Ballotpedia covered local measures that appeared on the ballot for voters within the top 100 largest cities in the U.S. and a selection of notable police-related and election-related measures outside of the top 100 largest cities. Ballotpedia also covered all local measures in California and all statewide ballot measures. Ballotpedia's 2020 local ballot measure coverage includes Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Toledo. Click here to see the scope of Ballotpedia local ballot measure coverage by year.

Ballotpedia also covered law enforcement-related measures proposed in response to the killing of George Floyd. If there are law enforcement-related measures not listed below, please email editor@ballotpedia.org

Local ballot measures, by county

Cuyahoga County

See also: Cuyahoga County, Ohio ballot measures

• Cleveland Municipal School District, Ohio, Issue 68, Property Tax Renewal and Increase Measure (November 2020):  ✔

A "yes" vote supported renewing and increasing the property tax for 10 years to fund the Cleveland Municipal School District at a rate of $2,000 per $100,000 of the assessed property value (an increase of $500).

A "no" vote opposed renewing and increasing the property tax to fund the Cleveland Municipal School District, thereby allowing it to expire in 2020.

Franklin County

See also: Franklin County, Ohio ballot measures

• Columbus, Ohio, Issue 1, Electric Service Aggregation Program Measure (November 2020):  ✔

A "yes" vote supported authorizing the city to establish an Electric Aggregation Program, which would allow the city to aggregate the retail electrical load of customers within the city's boundaries, and allowing customers to opt-out of the program.

A "no" vote opposed authorizing the city to establish an Electric Aggregation Program.

• Columbus, Ohio, Issue 2, Civilian Police Review Board and Inspector General Charter Amendment (November 2020):  ✔

A "yes" vote supported amending the city charter to create the Civilian Police Review Board with authority to launch and carry out investigations of alleged police misconduct, subpoena testimony and evidence during the investigations, make recommendations to the Division of Police, and appoint and manage the new position of Inspector General for the Division of Police.

A "no" vote opposed amending the city charter to create the Civilian Police Review Board with authority to launch and carry out investigations of alleged police misconduct, subpoena testimony and evidence during the investigations, make recommendations to the Division of Police, and appoint and manage the new position of Inspector General for the Division of Police.

• Franklin County, Ohio, Issue 24, Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Tax Renewal and Increase (November 2020):  ✔

A "yes" vote supported authorizing the county to renew and increase a tax to fund programs for mental health, alcohol, and drug addiction at a rate of $285 per $100,000 of assessed property value (an increase of $65 per $100,000 of assessed property value).

A "no" vote opposed authorizing the county to renew and increase a tax to fund programs for mental health, alcohol, and drug addiction, thereby allowing the tax to expire.

Hamilton County

See also: Hamilton County, Ohio ballot measures

• Cincinnati City School District, Ohio, Issue 17, Property Tax Renewal (November 2020):  ✔

A "yes" vote supported renewing the property tax passed in 2016 at a rate of $734 per $100,000 of assessed property value to raise a total of $48 million in revenue over five years beginning in 2021.

A "no" vote opposed renewing the property tax passed in 2016 at a rate of $734 per $100,000 of assessed property value to raise a total of $48 million, thereby allowing the existing tax to expire in December 2021.

Lucas County

See also: Lucas County, Ohio ballot measures

• Lucas County, Ohio, Issue 18, Children's Services Property Tax Renewal Measure (November 2020):  ✔

A "yes" vote supported renewing the property tax at the rate of $180 per $100,000 of assessed property value for five years to fund Luca County Children's Services.

A "no" vote opposed renewing the property tax at the rate of $180 per $100,000 of assessed property value for five years to fund Lucas County Children's Services, thus allowing the existing property tax to expire on December 31, 2020.

• Metropolitan Park District of Toledo, Ohio, Issue 17, Property Tax for Park Development Measure (November 2020):  ✔

A "yes" vote supported authorizing an additional property tax at the rate of $200 per $100,000 of assessed property value for 10 years for the Metropolitan Park District.

A "no" vote opposed authorizing an additional property tax at the rate of $200 per $100,000 of assessed property value for 10 years for the Metropolitan Park District.

• Toledo, Ohio, Issue 3, Income Tax Renewal Measure (November 2020):  ✔

A "yes" vote supported renewing the city's temporary income tax at a rate of 0.75% for four years beginning on January 1, 2021, to be allocated to safety services, capital improvements, and the General Fund.

A "no" vote opposed renewing the city's temporary income tax at a rate of 0.75% for four years beginning on January 1, 2021, thereby allowing the existing income tax to expire on December 31, 2020.

• Toledo, Ohio, Issue 4, Additional Income Tax Measure (November 2020):  ✔

A "yes" vote supported imposing an additional temporary municipal income tax at a rate of 0.25% for four years beginning on January 1, 2021, to fund road improvements.

A "no" vote opposed imposing an additional temporary municipal income tax at a rate of 0.25% for four years beginning on January 1, 2021, thus maintaining the existing municipal income tax rate of 2.25%.

Summit County

See also: Summit County, Ohio ballot measures

• Akron, Ohio, Issue 2, Release of Recordings from Police Body and Dashboard Cameras after Use of Force Charter Amendment (November 2020):  ✔

A "yes" vote supported requiring recordings from police body and dashboard cameras documenting police use of force that results in death or serious injury to be released to the public.

A "no" vote opposed this charter amendment to require recordings from police body and dashboard cameras documenting police use of force that results in death or serious injury to be released to the public.

• Akron, Ohio, Issue 3, Hiring Processes and Human Resources Administration Amendment (November 2020):  ✔

A “yes” vote supported amending the Akron City Charter to expand the hiring pool, define the roles of the Human Resources Commission and Department, address merit-based hiring and appeal procedures for classified employees, and revise rules for probationary and temporary employees while retaining existing standards against political patronage.

A “no” vote opposed amending the Akron City Charter to expand the hiring pool, define the roles of the Human Resources Commission and Department, address merit-based hiring and appeal procedures for classified employees, and revise rules for probationary and temporary employees while retaining existing standards against political patronage.

• Akron, Ohio, Issue 4, Purchasing Rules and Online Bid Publication Amendment (November 2020):  ✔

A “yes” vote supported amending the Akron City Charter to revise purchasing rules to permit obtaining goods and services from local vendors at competitive prices, update thresholds for purchases requiring Board of Control or City Council approval, and allow bidding opportunities to be published online to expand access and reduce administrative costs.

A “no” vote opposed amending the Akron City Charter to revise purchasing rules to permit obtaining goods and services from local vendors at competitive prices, update thresholds for purchases requiring Board of Control or City Council approval, and allow bidding opportunities to be published online to expand access and reduce administrative costs.

• Akron, Ohio, Issue 5, Residency and Veteran Preference Points for Entry-Level City Employment Amendment (November 2020):  ✔

A “yes” vote supported amending the Akron City Charter to require the City Human Resources Department to award appropriate preference points to all Akron residents and veterans applying for city employment through an entry-level exam.

A “no” vote opposed amending the Akron City Charter to require the City Human Resources Department to award appropriate preference points to all Akron residents and veterans applying for city employment through an entry-level exam.

• Akron, Ohio, Issue 6, Council Meeting Procedures and Online Publication of City Records Amendment (November 2020):  ✔

A “yes” vote supported amending the Akron City Charter to revise procedures for special council meetings, establish rules for executive sessions and video or teleconference meetings consistent with state law, and update publication requirements for ordinances and resolutions to include online access.

A “no” vote opposed amending the Akron City Charter to revise procedures for special council meetings, establish rules for executive sessions and video or teleconference meetings consistent with state law, and update publication requirements for ordinances and resolutions to include online access.

• Akron, Ohio, Issue 7, Change Submission Deadlines for Initiatives Amendment (November 2020):  ✔

A “yes” vote supported amending the Akron City Charter to change the deadline for submitting ordinances and petitions for initiatives, referendums, and charter amendments from 60 days to 100 days.

A “no” vote opposed amending the Akron City Charter to change the deadline for submitting ordinances and petitions for initiatives, referendums, and charter amendments from 60 days to 100 days.

• Akron Ward 5-E, Ohio, Issue 1, Midwest Market Alcohol Sales Measure (November 2020):  ✔

A “yes” vote supported allowing Sunday liquor sales for Midwest Market.

A “no” vote opposed allowing Sunday liquor sales for Midwest Market.

Other races in the ballot

The city of Toledo, Ohio, held a special general election for one at-large city council seat on November 3, 2020.

Click here to learn more about the city's elections in 2020.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Ohio

Click "Show" to learn more about voter registration, identification requirements, and poll times in Ohio.

How to cast a vote in Ohio

Poll times In Ohio, all polling places are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Voters who are in line at 7:30 p.m. are permitted to vote. Registration Check your voter registration status here. To register to vote in Ohio, an applicant must be a United States citizen, a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days before the election, and at least 18 years old by the day of the election. Individuals who are incarcerated for a felony conviction, have been declared by a court to be incompetent for voting purposes, or have been permanently disenfranchised may not register to vote. Applicants may register to vote online, in person, or by mail. The Ohio Voter Registration and Information Update Form is available online and can be requested by mail. In-person voter registration is available at various locations including the secretary of state and board of elections offices, Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles offices, public libraries and high schools, and other state agencies. A full list of locations is available here. The deadline to register to vote is 30 days before the next election. An Ohio driver’s license number, state ID card number, or the last four digits of a SSN is required in order to register to vote or update a voter registration. Automatic registration Ohio does not practice automatic voter registration. Online registration See also: Online voter registration Ohio has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website. Same-day registration Ohio does not allow same-day voter registration. Residency requirements Prospective voters must be residents of Ohio for at least 30 days before the election. Verification of citizenship See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States Ohio requires those registering to vote or updating their voter registration information at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility to provide proof of citizenship before being allowed to do so. Individuals registering to vote in other settings do not have to provide proof of citizenship but must attest to their citizenship in a sworn statement. All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters. Verifying your registration The Ohio Secretary of State’s Office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website. Voter ID requirements Ohio requires voters to present photo identification while voting. The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. Click here for the Ohio Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information. “ Ohio driver's license; State of Ohio ID card; Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV; A US passport; A US passport card; US military ID card; Ohio National Guard ID card; or US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card All photo IDs must have the following: An expiration date that has not passed; A photograph of the voter; The voter’s name, which must substantially conform to the voter’s name as it appears in the Poll List or in the Poll Book An unexpired Ohio Driver License, State ID Card, or Interim Documentation with your former address IS an ACCEPTABLE form of ID when your current address is in the pollbook. ” Ohio voters can obtain a free state ID card from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

See also

• Local ballot measure elections in Ohio
• Local law enforcement on the ballot