About Us
Ohio Equal Rights is a 501(c)4 Political Action Committee led by citizens from Northeast Ohio. Our mission is to advance the well-being of Ohioans and strengthen the quality of life in the State of Ohio by promoting equity in civil rights via a citizen-led ballot initiative.
What is a Ballot Initiative?
A ballot initiative is a method by which the citizens of the State of Ohio can put an issue on the ballot. Citizens may petition to amend the State Constitution, create a new statute, or repeal an existing law.
What is the Process to Get an Issue on the Ballot?
It is a multi-step process for a proposed Constitutional Amendment such as Equality of Rights Under the Law to be put up for a vote.
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The first step is to obtain 1,000 signatures from electors in the State. These are sent to the Attorney General of Ohio alongside a summary of the proposed Amendment and the full text of the Amendment. Once it is determined that the summary is a "fair and truthful" representation of the proposed amendment, and the signatures are certified, a second round of signatures is to be gathered.
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The second round of signatures must be obtained from 44 of the 88 counties in the state. A total amount of 442,958 signatures must be obtained following the 2022 gubernatorial election.
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Once these signatures are certified by the State, the issue is put on the ballot for a statewide vote. If it receives over 50% of the vote, it becomes law.
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More information about ballot initiatives for Constitutional Amendments can be found on the Secretary of State website here.
Do Other States Have Such Sweeping Equal Rights Amendments?
While 28 of our neighboring States have Equal Rights Amendments in their Constitutions, not all are as sweeping as Equality of Rights Under the Law. Nevada's ERA, which was voted into law in 2022, is the closest in content to this initiative. It passed with 58.63% of the vote.