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Laws governing local ballot measures in Ohio

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Laws governing ballot measures in the U.S.
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Laws governing ballot measures in the U.S.

Changes to laws governing ballot measures

Types of ballot measures

Ballot measure policy topics

Select a state from the dropdown to learn more about laws governing ballot measures in that state.

This page describes the state constitutional provisions and statutes that govern local ballot measures in Ohio. Jurisdictions often establish additional rules within the parameters of state law; those can be found in local ordinances and home-rule charters.

Explore the links below for more information:

Law

The Ohio Constitution and Ohio Revised Code establish the rules that govern local ballot measures in the state.

General

The following outlines the general rules that govern local ballot measures in Ohio, including both citizen-initiated measures and referred measures from local government bodies.

  • Vote requirements:
    • Most local ballot measures require a simple majority vote.[1]
  • Required ballot measures: Ohio state law requires voter approval for:
    • Municipal and charter amendments.[2]
    • County charters.[3]
    • Municipal or county taxes.[4]
    • School bonds and taxes.[5]
    • Bonds for counties, cities, villages, and districts.[6]

Initiatives

The following outlines the general rules that govern local citizen-initiated ballot measures in Ohio.

  • Authority: Article II and Article XVIII of the Ohio Constitution provides for the local initiative process. Under the constitution, voters in local jurisdictions can initiate ordinances, resolutions, or charter amendments.
  • Signatures
    • The signature requirement for local initiatives and referendums is equal to 10% of voters who voted in the last municipal general election.[7][8]
    • The signature requirement for local charter amendments is 10% of voters who voted in the last gubernatorial election.[2]
  • Deadlines:
    • Initiatives (resolutions, ordinances): Signatures must be filed 90 days before the election.[7]
    • Veto referendums: Signatures must be filed within 30 days after the ordinance or resolution was passed.[8]
    • Initiated charter amendments: Signatures must be filed 120 days before the election.[2]

Referrals

The following outlines additional rules that govern local referred ballot measures in Ohio.

  • Authority: Local governments can refer the following on the ballot:
    • Charter amendments[2]
    • Municipal ordinances if authorized in the local charter[2]
    • Taxes[5]
    • Bond measures[6]
    • School district bonds or taxes[9]
  • Deadlines:
    • Referrals must be certified to the county board of elections at least 90 days before the election.[10]

Laws governing local ballot measures in the U.S.

Laws governing local ballot measures in the United States

As state laws govern ballot measures, the rules are different from state to state. Click on a state below to explore that state's laws on local ballot measures.

http://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governing_local_ballot_measures_in_STATE

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Ohio Revised Code, "Chapter 3505," accessed December 5, 2025
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Ohio Constitution, "Article XVIII," accessed December 5, 2025
  3. ↑ Ohio Constitution, "Article X," accessed December 5, 2025
  4. ↑ Ohio Constitution, "Article X," accessed December 5, 2025
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Ohio Constitution, "Article XII," accessed December 5, 2025
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Ohio Revised Code, "Chapter 133," accessed December 5, 2025
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ohio Revised Code, "Chapter 731.28," accessed December 5, 2025
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Ohio Revised Code, "Chapter 731.29," accessed December 5, 2025
  9. ↑ Ohio Revised Code, "Chapter 3311 and Chapter 3313," accessed December 5, 2025
  10. ↑ Ohio Revised Code, "Chapter 3501," accessed December 5, 2025
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