Ohio 2019 ballot measures

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Zero statewide ballot measures were certified for the 2019 ballot in the state of Ohio.

Not on the ballot

See also: Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CICA	Marijuana Legalization Initiative	Marijuana	Legalizes the recreational use of marijuana
CICA	Short-Term Lending Initiative	Banking	Short-term loan rates
CICA	National Popular Vote for President Initiative	Elections and campaigns	Ohio's presidential electors to vote for the winner of the national popular vote

Getting measures on the ballot

Citizens

In Ohio, citizens have the power to initiate constitutional amendments, state statutes, and veto referendums. Voters approved a constitutional amendment for initiative and referendum powers in 1912.

In 2019, 442,958 signatures were required for initiated constitutional amendments. Signatures for initiated constitutional amendments were due on July 3, 2019.

In Ohio, initiated statutes begin as indirect initiatives, requiring 91,677 signatures in 2019 to go before the Ohio State Legislature, which had the option to approve an initiative without a vote of electors. Should the state legislature fail to adopt an indirect initiative, the initiated statute becomes direct, requiring an additional 91,677 signatures (for a grand total of 183,354) to go before voters in 2019. The number of signatures for initiated statutes was based on turnout at the election in 2014, rather than 2018, because signatures were due on December 28, 2018.

A veto referendum required 265,774 signatures in 2019. The deadline for veto referendums was 90 days after the targeted law was signed.

In Ohio, signatures for citizen-initiated measures must come from 44 of Ohio's 88 counties.

Legislature

The Ohio General Assembly can refer statewide ballot measures, in the form of constitutional amendments and state statutes, to the ballot in odd-numbered years and even-numbered years. In Ohio, the most common type of legislative referral is the constitutional amendment, which requires voter approval. Between 1995 and 2018, just one legislative referral was a statute.

Ohio requires a 60 percent vote in each legislative chamber during one legislative session to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 60 votes in the Ohio House of Representatives and 20 votes in the Ohio State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

Historical facts

See also: List of Ohio ballot measures

Between 1995 and 2018, the following occurred:

• A total of 45 measures appeared on statewide ballots.
• An average of two measures appeared on the ballot during odd-numbered election years.
• The number of measures appearing on statewide ballots ranged from zero to five.
• Voters approved 53.3 percent (24 of 45) and rejected 46.7 percent (21 of 45) of the statewide ballot measures.

Ohio statewide ballot measures, 1995-2018
Years	Total number	Approved	Percent approved	Defeated	Percent defeated	Odd-year average	Odd-year median	Odd-year minimum	Odd-year maximum
All measures	45	24	53.3%	21	46.7%	1.8	2.0	0	5
Initiatives	20	7	35.0%	13	65.0%	0.8	0.00	0	4
Veto referendums	3	1	33.3%	2	66.7%	0.2	0.0	0	1
Legislative amendments	20	16	80.0%	4	20.0%	0.9	1.0	0	2

See also

• 2019 ballot measures
• Ohio ballot measures
• Ohio signature requirements
• Procedures for qualifying an initiative in Ohio
• Laws governing the initiative process in Ohio

External links

• Initiative Petitions Submitted to the Attorney General's Office
• Ohio Ballot Board
• Ohio State Legislature