Explanation
BACKGROUND
On March 4, 2026, petitioners Iman Shehabi, Traci Johnson, Liliana Baiman, Willis Brown, Sharon Kim, Hassan Idris, Colleen O’Connell, Russell Goodwin, Christopher Tavenor, and Traci Cottrell filed with the City Clerk a pre-circulation copy of a petition for a charter amendment, titled “To amend the City Charter to eliminate at-large voting for city council district elections and to replace it with district-based voting wherein council members are elected or recalled only by the Columbus voters who live within their respective districts.” Following this, on July 16, 2026, petitioners filed with the City Clerk a petition for said ordinance. Petitioners filed 1,141 part-petitions containing 23,211 signatures.
Pursuant to Section 42-9 of the charter, the city clerk submitted the part-petitions to the Franklin County Board of Elections to validate the signatures and to the city attorney to advise on the legal sufficiency of the petition, based upon any applicable local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations.
On July 29, 2026, the Franklin County Board of Elections certified its examination of the part-petitions, as required by Section 42-9 of the City Charter. The Board of Elections found that the total number of valid signatures exceeds the standard as defined in Section 45 of the Charter (“equal to not less than ten percent of the total vote cast at the last preceding regular municipal election”).
On July 30, 2026, the City Attorney’s office advised this Council that the subject petition complies with the single subject requirements of the City Charter, noted drafting errors that would be out of compliance with portions of Section 42-9 of Charter, but ultimately opined that the petitions satisfies Charter sufficiency requirements.
Per Section 45-1 of the charter, this council must now forthwith determine the sufficiency of the citizens’ charter amendment petition and, if it is found sufficient, forthwith by ordinance provide for the submission of the proposed charter amendment to a vote of the electors of the city. Council may not consider the subject matter of the petition in making this determination and council’s action via this ordinance does not constitute support for the proposed amendment.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Emergency Designation: While not an emergency, City Charter Sec. 42-12 requires that this ordinance have immediate effect upon passage.
Title
To submit to the electors of the city of Columbus at a special election to be held concurrently with the regular general election on November 3, 2026, the question of amending the Charter of the City of Columbus, such question to be known as "Proposed Charter Amendment No. 1, City Council District Elections." ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Charter of the City of Columbus vests with the people of the City of Columbus the right to initiate charter amendments by petition; and
WHEREAS, on March 4, 2026, petitioners Iman Shehabi, Traci Johnson, Liliana Baiman, Willis Brown, Sharon Kim, Hassan Idris, Colleen O’Connell, Russell Goodwin, Christopher Tavenor, and Traci Cottrell filed with the City Clerk a pre-circulation copy of a petition for a charter amendment, titled “To amend the City Charter to eliminate at-large voting for city council district elections and to replace it with district-based voting wherein council members are elected or recalled only by the Columbus voters who live within their respective districts,”; and
WHEREAS, petitioners are vested with the responsibility to meet all applicable requirements of the Ohio Constitution, the Charter of the City of Columbus, and the Ohio Revised Code in seeking to exercise the aforementioned right; and
WHEREAS, on July 16, 2026, petitioners filed with the City Clerk 1,141 part petitions for said ordinance, containing 23,211 signatures; and
WHEREAS, after a thorough and timely review of the part-petitions, the Franklin County Board of Elections reported on July 29, 2026 to the City Clerk that the total number of valid signatures exceeds the standard required by Section 45 of the City Charter; and
WHEREAS, after a thorough and timely review of the part-petitions as required by Section 42-9 of the City Charter, the City Attorney reported to this Council on July 30, 2026 his opinion that the aforementioned petition is sufficient as a matter of law; and
WHEREAS, following receipt of the report regarding the validation of signatures and the City Attorney’s determination of legal sufficiency, per Section 45 of the City Charter, City Council must now determine if the petition is legally sufficient, and, if so, must provide for the submission of the proposed charter amendment to a vote of the electors of the city; and
WHEREAS, since no regular municipal election will be held in 2026, if sufficient, a special election would need to be called to place the proposed charter amendment on the November 3, 2026 ballot, an election to be held concurrently with the general election, per Section 45-2 of the City Charter; and
WHEREAS, Section 42-12 of the Charter of the City of Columbus requires that this ordinance submitting the Proposed Charter Amendment No. 1, City Council District Elections to the electors go into effect and be in force "from and after the date of passage" to assure timely filing with the boards of elections for placement on the November 3, 2026 ballot to be timely certified which is required to appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot, NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. Incorporating the facts stated within the recitals herein by reference, the city council does find the amendment to the charter known as “Proposed Charter Amendment No. 1, City Council District Elections,” to be sufficient pursuant to the requirements of the charter and applicable provisions of the Ohio Constitution and Ohio Revised Code.
SECTION 2. The city council further hereby finds that a regular municipal election will not be held in 2026. Therefore, pursuant to City Charter Section 45-2, a special election is hereby called to place the question of the amendment upon the ballot on November 3, 2026 said election to be held concurrently with the general election, a date which is not less than 60 nor more than 120 days from passage of this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That there be submitted to the electors of the city of Columbus the question of amending the Charter of the City of Columbus, such question and proposed amendments being set forth as an attachment (PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CHARTER City Council District Elections) hereto and hereby made a part hereof.
SECTION 4. That the question submitted in Section 3 be and hereby is known as "Proposed Charter Amendment No. 1, City Council District Elections."
SECTION 5. That the city clerk is directed to forthwith serve a certified copy of this ordinance upon the boards of elections of Franklin County, Delaware County, and Fairfield County, Ohio.
SECTION 6. That the boards of elections of Franklin County, Delaware County, and Fairfield County, Ohio be and hereby are requested to place the question, "Proposed Charter Amendment No. 1, Community Crisis Response" upon the ballot to be submitted to the electors as provided for and upon the date set forth herein.
SECTION 7. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to take immediate effect and be in force from and after passage, pursuant to Section 42-12 of the Charter of the City of Columbus.