Hicks-Hudson Statement on Ballot Board Citizen-Led Redistricting Initiative Decision

Today, state Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toldeo) issued the following statement after the Ohio Ballot Board voted to certify the citizen-led redistricting commission constitutional amendment as a single proposal. 

“I am very pleased that the Ohio Ballot Board moved to certify this amendment as being a single issue,” said Hicks-Hudson, who serves on the Ballot Board. “By doing this, we have removed a hurdle so that the citizens of Ohio can move forward with this initiative and fulfill our duty to enable the will of Ohioans, not our own legislative agendas.”

The Ohio Ballot Board is responsible for certifying ballot language for any proposed constitutional amendments. Once the Ohio Attorney General’s office certifies that the language of a proposed amendment is “fair and truthful,” the Ballot Board must certify an initiative contains only one proposal before going on the ballot. After the language is certified as one proposal by the Ballot Board, citizens can begin collecting signatures to place the amendment on the ballot.