Backers of the initiated statute originally wanted the proposal before voters in November 2022, but an attorney for the Ohio House and other state officials believed the law required the . The Ohio State Senate passed an amendment that would raise the threshold for voters to approve ballot measures that would amend the Ohio Constitution. "When an initiative can be bought by billionaires from California or anywhere else, and passed by a slim majority here in Ohio, it isn't about the will of the voter, it's about the wallet of the funder.". Redistricting people say he is targeting us.. As for HJR1, Wednesday will be spent hearing opponent testimony. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Among those was Emily Cole, the executive director for Ohio Families Unite for Political Action and Change, who characterized the bill as a "a dishonest and bad-faith effort to change the rules, again, in order to make it harder for Ohioans to protect our freedoms.". Click here to find the latest polling places at the Ohio elections site. Ohioans are going to choose three justices for the state Supreme Court this November as well as a secretary of state, attorney general, auditor and treasurer. The problem, as critics of August elections many of them Republicans have consistently noted, is that the contests are an inconsistent grab bag of local issues like school or construction levies. So thats going to be up to the speaker and the members of the Legislature, the House in particular, if they can muster the 60 votes that are needed to do this.. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; American Indian issues I would argue that none of those things belong in the constitution and certainly you shouldnt be allowed to do it with a bare majority of 50 percent plus one,, fly below the radar. Democrats repeatedly hammered the sponsors about timing because August elections typically involve far lower voter turnout. It needs to pass the Ohio House of Representatives to go to voters. "Nothing in this proposed amendment will stop big money, out of state special interests from bankrolling multi-million dollar campaigns," Marozzi said. Sen. Kent Smith (D) said the supermajority requirement would have an effect on certain ballot measures, such as a potential constitutional amendment that may provide a state right regarding reproductive decisions. Elections in 2023 | [8],

In a series of emails, state legislators claimed that a referendum vote can't take place because valid signatures were not submitted 10 days prior to the start of the legislative period. MORE NEWS: Cleveland City Council proposes faster, more reliable 911 system. Gambling That became clear in the testimony offered by the bills sponsors and supporters. As Curtin has said, this represents a clear attempt to take power away from citizens and put it in the hands of statehouse politicians. Driving the news: Last week, the Ohio Ballot Board approved the wording of both constitutional amendments placed on the ballot by Republican majorities in the state Legislature. One of the most vigorous opponents of the rules changes has been Michael Curtin, the former editor and former associate publisher of the Columbus Dispatch. A podcast from the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau where we catchyou up on the state's political news. Nicole Fisher is a staff writer at Ballotpedia. Be sure to follow WKYC on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for complete coverage. That is the way things work these days. A guide to voting times in all 50 states, Ohio Issue 2 on the November ballot: Here's what you need to know about the measure to ban noncitizen voting, Ohio's U.S. Senate battle: What you need to know about candidates Tim Ryan and JD Vance, according to the Ohio Secretary of State site, What to watch in the high-stakes 2022 midterm elections, Early voting for November 8 general election in Ohio: Where to cast your ballot, Important deadlines for voting by mail in Ohio's November 8 general election: Absentee ballot dates and guidelines, Cleveland City Council proposes faster, more reliable 911 system. Ohio May election: School levies voters will see on 2023 primary ballots. The Division of Cannabis Control would be established under this measure, which was designed to license, regulate, and penalize cannabis operators and facilities. Ohioans are also going to elect 15 representatives to the U.S. House. Marozzi was among 61 individuals and groups to testify against SJR2 so far; 14 others testified in support. I think that members who choose not to support this will have consequences for that, meaning the voters will hold them accountable because there are a lot of Ohioans who want to see this done, LaRose said during a Wednesday interview. Lawmakers eliminated nearly all such contests in the waning days of the last session, just a few short months ago. Ohio has 17 state Senate seats and all 99 House seats up for grabs this November. The debate comes as . [1], The ballot title for the initiative was as follows:[1], An Act to Control and Regulate Adult Use Cannabis[3], The ballot summary for the initiative was as follows:[1], The full text of the measure is below:[1], The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol is leading the campaign in support of the ballot initiative. from the audience. Treasurer: Ohio's treasurer is the person who makes sure our bills get paid on time, our credit rating stays up and our $28 billion worth of investments continue to do well. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 458 in January. New voting laws are in effect for Ohio's primary election on Tuesday. "This is absolutely outrageous.". Here's what you can expect from 3News: Did you get your "I Voted" sticker? Attorney General: Ohio's top lawyer is an important job. .sbtotalheader { The midterm elections are right around the corner, and Ohio voters are going to decide who they want in Congress, the governor's mansion, the Ohio Supreme Court and whether noncitizens should be allowed to vote in local elections. The Capital Journal combines Ohio state government coverage with incisive investigative journalism, reporting on the consequences of policy, political insight and principled commentary. The only time there was a statewide constitutional amendment for consideration on an August ballot in Ohio was 97 years ago. Everyone thinks it is about them. The two elections measures in the House would settle the question of when. You need to have a form of ID with you to cast a ballot on election day. Ohio is gearing up to administer one of the nation's most competitive state supreme court races on Nov. 8, with six candidates vying for a seat on the seven-member bench that has the ultimate. The initiative was designed to enact a state law to legalize the cultivation, processing, sale, purchase, possession, home growth, and use of recreational marijuana for adults 21 years of age or older. Sen. Senate Bill 92 would create a special election this August for Ohioans to vote to raise the voter threshold, but the legislation excludes the abortion-rights proposal from appearing on that same ballot. On Wednesday, opponents of HJR1 will testify. Jan. 03* Last day for local option petitioners contesting community facility to send street listings to Division of Liquor Control (30 days before Feb. 1 petition filing deadline for May 2 primary/special election) R.C. Legislation and Ballot Issues. font-weight:bold; Again, their logic boils down to a political calculation inextricable from raising the constitutional threshold. Resource Details Share this Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The move prompted chants of "Shame!" Proponents say raising the voter threshold will keep special interests from co-opting the constitution, often citing a 2009 ballot initiative that established casinos in Ohio. They offer alternative explanations for their thinking, such as protecting the integrity of the state constitution from nefarious special interests and keeping the constitution from being mucked up with all manner of minor or narrow amendments. "This is why township ordinances are easier to change than the Ohio Revised Code, and the Ohio Revised Code is easier to change than federal law. "The constitution is meant to inform us as to how the government is supposed to be run and to enshrine rights for all Ohioans.". The Ohio Senate voted last week to place a ballot question before voters that, if passed, would require 60% of the vote to enact proposed amendments, instead of 50% plus one. }, The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committees in support of the measure. They should carefully consider that. [1][2], The initiative was also designed to enact a 10% cannabis tax rate on adult-use sales and dedicate revenue to fund "a cannabis social equity and jobs program" to "provide financial assistance and license application support to individuals most directly and adversely impacted by the enforcement of marijuana-related laws." Remember, you are still permitted to vote as long as you're in line before the polls close at 7:30 p.m. RELATED: LIVE BLOG | Scanner issues reported at some polling places: Real-time updates. On April 29, 2022, The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CTRMLA) filed a lawsuit against state legislative leaders. The poll showed 50.4% of likely voters in favor, 39.7% opposed, and 10.0% undecided. Gov. There are multiple statewide races that are generating a lot of attention as candidates aim to earn enough votes to represent their party on the November general election ballot. Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights and Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom told the Dayton Daily News in March that they plan to collect a minimum of 700,000 signatures. ", RELATED: What to watch in the high-stakes 2022 midterm elections, RELATED: Early voting for November 8 general election in Ohio: Where to cast your ballot, MORE: Important deadlines for voting by mail in Ohio's November 8 general election: Absentee ballot dates and guidelines. !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(e){if(void 0!==e.data["datawrapper-height"]){var t=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var a in e.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r