The signature campaign to put two equal rights constitutional amendments on the 2026 ballot will now focus on the 2027 ballot instead.
Ohio Equal Rights (OER)organization spearheading the campaign said a variety of factors contributed to the transition to the 2027 elections, including the need for a more strategic approach to resources, the opportunity to work with more organizations, and recent threats to voter registration, including last week’s FBI raid on a voter registration organization.
“I hope next year will be a little calmer,” said OER executive co-chair Lis Regula. “We basically accept [reproductive justice] strategy and going to elections outside the year instead of mid-term.”
Both fixes:
- Prohibit the Ohio Legislature and local municipalities from enacting or enforcing laws or policies that discriminate against Ohioans on the basis of race, color, creed or religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression without regard to sex assigned at birth, pregnancy status, genetic information, medical condition, age, disability, recovery status, familial status, ancestry, national origin, or military or veteran status.
- Repeal the current wording of the Ohio Constitution defines marriage as “only the union of one man and one woman.”
Following a 2025 decision by the Republican-controlled Ohio Board of Ballots to split the original OER proposal into two amendments, organizers have until July 1 of the year of the scheduled vote to collect and submit 442,958 valid signatures on each issue. Signatures must come from registered voters in at least half of Ohio’s 88 counties.
That’s a total of over 880,000 signatures to get both amendments on the ballot.
The signing process has already started during various events, especially the Equality celebrations, and will continue uninterrupted, with the signings carried over to next year.
No language in voter referendum section of the Ohio Revised Code indicates that the collected signatures may expire. The Code only states that signatures must show “competent voter”: U.S. citizens who are 18 years of age or older, who have resided in Ohio for at least 30 days prior to the election, and who have been registered to vote for at least 30 days.
OER organizers acknowledge that postponing the target election until 2027 could raise the likelihood that some signatures will become invalid – mainly because citizens move out of state – but said this outcome is potentially true in any referendum campaign.
“That’s why we make sure our validity rate is as high as possible,” Regula said.
OER organizers would not reveal how many signatures have already been collected, but say the process is “progressing well” and that they have had “great conversations” with individuals about both amendments.
Regula found that the Right to Marry Amendment was “slightly lower” than the number of signatures of the Equal Protection Amendment, “but not by much.” This effect can be explained by the belief that marriage equality is already established in law Obergefell v. Hodgeswhich established marriage equality in 2016.
“It is always more difficult to advocate for proactive policies rather than reactive ones,” Regula said. “Our brains respond better to threat than to progress, and right now not everyone realizes the threat to marriage equality.”
The organizers hope that those interested will come and find them at the address their local Pride celebrations to find out more.
“If you have the time and inclination, volunteer,” Regula said. “There are literally things we can find for everyone.” 🔥
START ACTION
- Ohio Equal Rights invites individuals and groups interested in collaborating on this initiative to contact us through the organization’s website at by clicking here.
