Ohio signature requirements
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Ohio's signature requirements are based on a percentage of the votes cast for the office of Governor of Ohio in the state's most recent gubernatorial election. The most recent gubernatorial election was in 2006 and the next election is in 2010, so signature requirements will next change after that November 2010 gubernatorial election is concluded.
The percentage of signatures required to put an initiated constitutional amendment on the ballot is, as in most states, higher than the percentage required to qualify an initiated state statute or a veto referendum.
Ohio is one of several states that require sponsors to file an initial petition to begin the process. The number of signatures required on the initial petition is 1,000 signatures for amendments, statutes and referenda.
Filing deadlines
The signature filing deadlines for the November 2010 ballot are:
- June 30, 2010 for a constitutional amendment.
- For a statute, signatures must be filed ten days before the 2010 session of the Ohio State Legislature begins, which is on the first Monday in January 2010, or January 4. The recommended filing deadline is December 23, 2009.
- For a veto referendum, signatures must be filed within ninety (90) days after the law or section of law to be referred has been filed with the Secretary of State by the Governor and any petition that is filed within that window of opportunity, but 125 days before the next election, will go on the next general election ballot that occurs over a year later.
Signatures required
| Year | Initial signatures | Initiated amendment | Initiated statute | Supplemental signatures for statute | Veto referendum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1,000 | 402,275 | 120,683 | 120,683 | 241,365 |
| 2008 | 1,000 | 402,275 | 120,683 | 120,683 | 241,365 |
Basis for calculation
- In 2006, 4,022,754 votes were cast for the office of governor.[1]
- For an initiated constitutional amendment, the state of Ohio requires that signatures equal 10% of the votes cast for governor in the most recent election be submitted.
- Ohio's version of the indirect initiated state statute requires signatures equalling 3% of votes cast for governor in order to place it before the Ohio State Legislature. If the legislature fails to enact the proposed legislation, signatures equal to another 3% are required to qualify the measure for the ballot. In other words, an initiative sponsor who assumes that the legislature will not enact the proposed legislation should plan on collecting signatures equal to 6% of the vote cast for governor in the most recent election.
- A veto referendum requires signatures equal to 6% of votes cast for governor in the last election.
Signature requirement
- See also: Distribution requirement
- For a constitutional amendment, signatures must be gathered from 44 of Ohio's 88 counties. From each of these 44 counties, signatures must equal 5% of the vote cast for governor in that county in the last election.
- The signatures for an initiated statute must come from at least 44 of 88 counties as well. Signatures equalling 1.5% of the vote cast for governor in each of 44 counties must be collected. If the legislature does not enact the proposed law, then signatures equalling 1.5% of the vote cast for governor in each of 44 counties must be collected in the supplemental signature-gathering phase.
- Signatures for a veto referendum must also be from 44 of Ohio's 88 counties, and signatures equal to 3% of the votes cast for governor must be from each of those 44 counties.
See also
- Laws governing the initiative process in Ohio
- States where signature requirements are based on votes cast for governor
- Petition drive deadlines, 2009
- Petition drive deadlines, 2010
External links
- Procedures for statewide ballot issues, from the Ohio Secretary of State
- Procedure for an initiated statute
- Procedure for an initiated amendment
- Procedure for a veto referendum
- NCSL signature chart for 2008
- Ohio signature requirements collated by the Citizens in Charge Foundation
