Title
Notice/Advertisement Title: Public Hearing: Council Structure and Reform
Contact Name: Andie McDonald
Contact Telephone Number: 614-645-7994
Contact Email Address: abmcdonald@columbus.gov
Body
Council President Pro Tem Rob Dorans, and City Council, will hold a public hearing on Monday, August 17th at 5:00pm to continue conversations regarding Council structure and election reform.
The Our City, Our Say coalition of advocates and community members have been organizing for a ballot measure that would transition Columbus City Council to 9 districts where only the residents of each district vote on one Councilmember. Council is set to vote on Monday, August 24 that it has met the necessary requirements to appear on the November 2026 ballot for voters to consider.
Over the same timeframe, Councilmembers have been studying options for reform and soliciting public input, including at a recent May 4th public hearing. Since then, some Councilmembers and the Coalition have been having productive conversations about common ground and opportunities for collaboration.
This hearing will outline where those conversations stand, identify additional opportunities for comprehensive reform, and provide a venue for additional engagement. Representatives of the Our City coalition will provide testimony as invited guests.
Public Hearing: Council Structure and Reform
• Monday, August 17th, 5:00pm
• Council Chambers, City Hall - 90 W Broad St, Columbus, OH 43215
While the primary purpose of this hearing is public dialogue and deliberation, the community is also invited to provide additional input.
The hearing will be broadcast live on CTV, YouTube, and Facebook Live.
If any resident of the City of Columbus would like to provide written or public testimony, including signing up to speak at the hearing, email Andie McDonald at abmcdonald@columbus.gov.
All written testimony and speaker sign ups must be received by 3:00pm on the day of the hearing and should be emailed to Andie McDonald at abmcdonald@columbus.gov - please include “District Hearing Testimony” in the subject line of your email. Each speaker will be asked to limit their remarks to no longer than three minutes.