TheRestofUs.org is working with the Reform Ohio Now coalition to qualify three* (now four) constitutional amendments that would make elections in Ohio better. Citizens need to turn in more than 320,000 valid signatures from registered voters by early August** to qualify these initiatives for the November 2005 ballot.

***Initiatives Qualify!! See the official certification letter from the Secretary of State.***

1) Campaign Finance Reform. In December 2004, the Ohio legislature increased the amount that large donors can give to politicians from $2,500 to $10,000 and weakened Ohio's century-old ban on corporate contributions. This initiative would lower contribution limits to $1,000 per election cycle for legislative candidates and $2,000 per cycle for statewide candidates, tighten the ban on corporate contributions, and prevent fat cats from skirting the limits by giving contributions through their children.

2) Independent Redistricting. Most elections in Ohio are not competitive because politicians conspire in drawing districts that are handpicked to ensure that either a Democrat or Republican wins in a landslide. This initiative would take the redistricting process out of the hands of partisan incumbents and put this responsibility into a non-partisan commission whose members could not be lobbyists, former politicians, or party leaders.

3) Election reform. Ohio elections are currently administered by the Secretary of State, who is elected in a partisan election. Previous Secretaries of State have Chaired the Campaigns of Presidential candidates and taken other actions that draw into question their impartiality in administering elections. This initiative would create a non-partisan elections board to adminster Ohio elections, ensuring that voters will have confidence in election outcomes.

4) Absentee Voting. Due to the way voting turnout is predicted in Ohio, many Ohioans had to stand for hours in line to vote in the 2004 elections. This initiative permits voters to cast ballots by mail or in person at a county board of elections up to 35 days before an election without stating a reason for voting early, making sure that all qualified Ohio citizens that want to vote can do so without undue hardship.

*On August 16, the Ohio Ballot Board, comprised of the Secretary of State and four legislators, two from each party, voted 3-2 to separate into a different initiative that portion of the Election Reform Initiative which provided for absentee voting within the 35 days leading up to an election. The result is that there are now four reform initiatives backed by TheRestofUs.org that will appear on the November ballot, pending the Secretary of State's review of the signatures.

**On August 9, the Reform Ohio Now coalition turned in more than 520,000 signatures representing registered voters from every county in Ohio to the Ohio Secretary of State. The signatures are currently being checked by the Secretary of State's office for validity.