The number of valid signatures needed to put a proposed constitutional amendment on the Ohio ballot has increased by about 40 percent. That number fluctuates because it is based on the last general election and, this past November, many more Ohioans showed up to vote in the state’s gubernatorial race. Some lawmakers had wanted to make this process tougherso do they think legislation is still needed?
Catherine Turcer with Common Cause Ohio notes the number of valid signatures needed to put a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot goes from just over 305,000 to about 440,000.
“And that’s a really big change. And, in fact, it will be much harder for citizen groups to put reforms before voters," Turcer says.
But Republican House Representative Niraj Antani says just raising that threshold isn’t enough.
“The increased signatures at the end of the day really doesn’t help the cause because you can always pay more people for more signatures," Antani says.
Legislative leaders have signaled they agree, but no action was taken in lame duck. Antani says this year he’ll introduce another measure that will increase ballot access requirements.
Copyright 2019 The Statehouse News Bureau
