Ohio is one of 19 states that allows for citizens to amend their state’s constitution through direct initiatives. This constitutional right could be highly important this year, as there are several citizen initiatives that could appear on the ballot in the November election, though at the time of writing none of them have yet been certified for the November election.
Two related proposed amendments are the Ohio Equality of Rights Under the Law Amendment and the Ohio Remove Constitutional Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment, which were originally one amendment that was then split into two amendments.
The first amendment would codify equal rights for all Ohioans regardless of “race, color, creed or religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression regardless of sex assigned at birth, pregnancy status, genetic information, disease status, age, disability, recovery status, familial status, ancestry, national origin, or military and veteran status.” The second amendment would repeal the constitutional ban on same sex marriage that was passed in 2004.
The other proposed amendments that might appear on the ballot in November include:
The Ohio Eliminate and Prohibit Taxes on Real Property Initiative, which if passed would eliminate almost all property taxes. Advocates say that it is an understandable response to high property taxes that have continued to rise, but critics say that the measure goes too far and would gut funding for vital services like schools and fire departments.
The Ohio Right to Civil Action Against Government Actors and Prohibit Immunity Defenses for Constitutional Violations Initiative, which if passed would eliminate qualified immunity and make it easier for citizens to hold the government accountable when it violates their constitutional rights.
Advocates say that the amendment is necessary because police officers, ICE agents and other government actors can currently get away with serious crimes up to and including first degree murder with no meaningful punishment while justice is denied to the victims. Critics say that the amendment is unnecessary because current systems are already adequate when it comes to punishing the misconduct of government actors.
The Ohio Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment, which would establish a constitutional right to hunt and fish.
The Ohio Voting and Elections Amendment, which would make voting more accessible.
For Ohio the total number of votes cast for the governor in the most recent general election determines the number of signatures an initiative petition needs in order to be placed on the ballot. For 2026, 413,487 valid signatures are required for a proposed amendment to be put on the ballot, and the signatures must come from at least 44 of the 88 counties in Ohio. Once a measure is on the ballot a simple majority is needed in order for it to pass.
While there are some hoops to jump through, anyone can propose an amendment to the Ohio constitution, and the only thing necessary to make it a reality is getting enough fellow Ohioans to support it too.
Erik Larson, reporter
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