The number of certified ballot measures for 2025 and 2026 is trending above the average as of Jan. 21, 2025. For 2025, six statewide ballot measures have been certified in three states—Louisiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Six is three measures more than the average of three for this point in an odd-numbered-year election cycle since 2010.…
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) signed a Parents’ Bill of Rights into law on Jan. 8, encoding a parent’s right to direct the upbringing and education of their child into state law. Ohio is the 23rd state to adopt a Parents’ Bill of Rights. House Bill 8 includes the following rights for parents: The bill…
The number of certified ballot measures for 2025 and 2026 is trending above the average as of Jan. 7, 2025. For 2025, five statewide ballot measures have been certified in two states—Louisiana and Ohio. Five is two measures above the average (three) for this point in an odd-numbered year election cycle since 2010. For 2026,…
An Ohio K-12 education bill went into effect Oct. 24, reducing educator licensing requirements and repealing certain education regulations from the Ohio Revised Code. Senate Bill 168 included provisions: State Sen. Michele Reynolds (R), who sponsored the bill, said it would “eliminat[e] excess and burdensome regulations and [address] teacher shortages.” Matt Dotson, a lobbyist with…
Of 1,070 regular elections in Ohio—770 (72%) are uncontested. An uncontested election is one where the number of candidates on the ballot is less than or equal to the number of seats up for election. Of the 26 states where Ballotpedia is covering every election on Nov. 5, Ohio has the sixth highest rate of…
Six candidates are running for three seats on the Ohio Supreme Court in the partisan general election on Nov. 5, 2024. The Ohio Capital Journal wrote that the outcome of the race will “have major impacts on a wide variety of issues that affect the lives of Ohioans,” including the state’s universal school voucher program,…
U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson issued an injunction on Aug. 31, 2024, against a provision of Ohio House Bill 1 (HB 1) that would have prohibited lawful permanent residents who are non-citizens from contributing to ballot measure campaigns. Watson said that while Ohio has a compelling interest in preventing foreign influence over state political…
Incumbent Emilia Sykes (D) and Kevin Coughlin (R) are running in the general election for Ohio’s 13th Congressional District on November 5, 2024. The University of Virginia’s Kyle Kondik said the district is “…one of the most competitively drawn districts in the whole country. It’s one of a relative handful of true swing seats across the country.” Sykes was first elected in 2022, winning…
Incumbent Marcy Kaptur (D) and Derek Merrin (R) are running in the general election on Nov. 5, 2024, to represent Ohio’s 9th Congressional District. Kaptur has represented the district since 1983 and is the longest-serving woman in Congress. Merrin serves in the Ohio House of Representatives. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R) and Donald Trump (R)…
Voters in Ohio will decide on a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment to establish the Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC), a 15-member non-politician commission responsible for adopting state legislative and congressional redistricting plans. On July 23, the initiative was certified for the general election on Nov. 5. The campaign supporting the initiative, Citizens Not Politicians, raised $26.95…