Ballot Board Certifies Freedom to Marry Amendment as Single Issue

COLUMBUS – The Ohio Ballot Board, chaired by Secretary of State Jon Husted, today certified that a proposed Freedom to Marry constitutional amendment consists of one issue.

Petitioners will now need to collect 385,247 signatures, which is equal to 10 percent of the total vote cast for governor in 2010. As part of the total number of signatures needed to place the measure on the ballot, petitioners must also have collected signatures from at least 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties, and within each of those counties, collect enough signatures equal to five percent of the total vote cast for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election, 2010.

Secretary Husted serves as chair of the Ballot Board and oversees the board’s proceedings. Other members of the Ballot Board include: State Senator Bill Coley; State Senator Nina Turner; Mark Griffin; and William N. Morgan. Ballot Board meetings are open to the public.