Ohio Ballot Board

Ohio Ballot Board
Basic facts
State: Ohio
Website: Official website
Year established: 1977
Learn more about Ohio ballot measures
• Laws governing the initiative process in Ohio
• Types of ballot measures in Ohio
• List of Ohio ballot measures

The Ohio Ballot Board is a board comprised of five members that review initiative petitions submitted to the attorney general; prescribe and certify the ballot language for proposed amendments, initiatives, and referenda; and oversee efforts to provide information to voters regarding the certified measures on the ballot.

Structure

Membership

The Ohio Ballot Board consists of five total members. The members consist of:

• The Ohio Secretary of State
• One member appointed by the president of the Ohio State Senate
• One member appointed by the minority leader of the Ohio State Senate
• One member appointed by the speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives
• One member appointed by the minority leader of the Ohio House of Representatives

No more than two of the appointed members can be of the same political party.

Terms

Members of the Ohio Ballot Board hold four year appointments.

Vacancy

Vacancies are filled in the same manner in which the appointments are made. A member that is appointed to a vacant position will serve for the remainder of the term. A member appointed to the vacancy must be of the same political party as the member who was replaced.

Funding

The Ohio Secretary of State's office provides professional, technical, and clerical support for the Board.

Responsibilities

The Ohio Ballot Board is responsible for reviewing proposed initiatives, as well as prescribing and certifying ballot language, explanations, and other relevant information regarding certified measures that will appear on the ballot.

Responsibilities for proposed initiatives

• Examining initiative petitions received from the attorney general to make sure that they contain only one proposed law or constitutional amendment.
  • If the petition contains one proposed law or amendment, the board will certify their approval of the petition to the attorney general. If the petition contains more than one law or amendment, the board will divide up the petition into separate petitions so that voters will decide on each law or amendment separately.
  • Initiatives must be reviewed within 10 days of being received

Responsibilities for certified ballot measures

• Prescribing the ballot language for constitutional amendments proposed by the general assembly that will appear on the ballot.
• Preparing an explanation for constitutional amendments prepared by the general assembly.
• Certifying the ballot language and explanation to the secretary of state.
  • Ballot language and explanations must be certified to the secretary of state at least 75 days before the election.
• Preparing support and opposition arguments for ballot measures if the individuals responsible do not file support or opposition arguments, or arrange to have the relevant individuals prepare support and opposition arguments.
• Directing the secretary of state on how the information regarding the proposed amendments, laws, or referenda is disseminated to voters.
• Directing the secretary of state to arrange for ballot language, explanations, and arguments of ballot measures to be published in newspapers of general circulation.

History

On May 7, 1974, Ohio voters approved Issue 3, which established the Ohio Ballot Board. The amendment required the Board to prepare language for constitutional amendments, and gave the Ohio Supreme Court original and exclusive jurisdiction in cases challenging ballot measure language. Voters approved Issue 3 by 71.96%-29.04%.

See also

Suggest a link

• Laws governing the initiative process in Ohio
• Types of ballot measures in Ohio
• List of Ohio ballot measures

External links

• Ohio Ballot Board
• Article XVI, Section 1 of the Ohio Constitution
• Section 3505.061 of the Ohio Revised Code
• Section 3505.062 of the Ohio Revised Code