Ohio Initiative and Referendum Signature Requirements Initiative (1939)

Ohio Initiative and Referendum Signature Requirements Initiative
Election date November 7, 1939
Topic Initiative and referendum process
Status Defeated
Type Initiated constitutional amendment	Origin Citizens

Ohio Initiative and Referendum Signature Requirements Initiative was on the ballot as an initiated constitutional amendment in Ohio on November 7, 1939. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported replacing the signature requirement for ballot initiatives as follows: for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments, change the requirement from a number of signatures equal to 10% of electors to 100,000 signatures and for citizen-initiated state statutes, change the requirement from a number of signatures equal to 6% of electors to 50,000 signatures.

A "no" vote opposed this constitutional amendment, thus maintaining that the signature requirements for ballot initiatives are: for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments, a number of signatures equal to 10% of electors with a distribution requirement of half the counties and for citizen-initiated state statutes, a number of signatures equal to 6% of electors with a distribution requirement of half the counties.

Election results

Ohio Initiative and Referendum Signature Requirements Initiative
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		406,612	21.49%
No		1,485,919	78.51%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Initiative and Referendum Signature Requirements Initiative was as follows:

“

An amendment to the constitution of the state of Ohio proposing the adoption of a new section to be known as Section 1 (h) of Article II. This amendment provides that the signatures of at least 100,000 qualified electors to be secured at large shall qualify an Initiative Petition proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Ohio; it further provides that the signature of at least 50,000 qualified electors to be secured at large shall qualify an Initiative Petition proposing a law on any subject whatsoever, the full text of which shall be set forth in the petition. Proposed laws are to be submitted direct to the voters without first submitted to the Legislature. The present provision that the ward and precinct of signers shall be state is abolished and there is substituted the requirement that only the residence address showing city or township shall be required.

”

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in Ohio

An initiated constitutional amendment is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends a state's constitution. Eighteen (18) states allow citizens to initiate constitutional amendments.

In Ohio, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 10% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval.

Ohio also requires initiative sponsors to submit 1,000 signatures with the initial petition application. Ohio has a signature distribution requirement, which requires that signatures be gathered from at least 44 of Ohio's 88 counties. Petitioners must gather signatures equal to a minimum of half the total required percentage of the gubernatorial vote in each of the 44 counties. Petitions are allowed to circulate for an indefinite period of time. Signatures are due 125 days prior to the general election that proponents want the initiative on.

See also

1939 Measures

• 1939 Measures
• Initiative and referendum process on the ballot
• 1939 legislative sessions

Ohio

• Ohio ballot measures
• Ohio ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Cleveland State University Law Library, "Ohio Constitution - Law and History: Table of Proposed Amendments," June 2, 2023