The Supreme Court of Ohio has ruled that the state attorney general does not have the authority to reject a petition for a proposed constitutional amendment based solely on its title. The decision was delivered in a unanimous per curiam opinion, stating that Attorney General Dave Yost acted beyond his authority when he rejected the proposal titled "Ohio Voters Bill of Rights" by claiming the title did not fairly and accurately summarize or describe the content.
According to R.C. 3519.01(A), the attorney general's role is limited to reviewing the summary of a petition, not its title. Under Ohio law, citizens seeking to amend the constitution must submit a petition signed by at least 1,000 registered voters with a summary of the proposed amendment. This summary must be certified as "fair and truthful" by the attorney general before proceeding further.
The group behind the "Voters Bill of Rights" proposal sought intervention from the Supreme Court after Yost rejected their petition due to concerns over its former title, "Secure and Fair Elections." Although they addressed Yost’s objections and resubmitted their petition with changes, including altering the title to "Ohio Voters Bill of Rights," Yost again rejected it on grounds that he could review and found misleading.
In response, proponents filed for a writ of mandamus from the Supreme Court in February 2024. They argued that since they had amended their summary according to Yost's initial feedback and there were no additional issues cited in his second rejection regarding content, he should certify their summary.
The Court clarified that R.C. 3519.01(A) confines Yost's review powers strictly to summaries without defining “summary” itself within this statute. However, it explained that summaries serve different functions than titles—the latter being simply names assigned to amendments rather than detailed descriptions—and therefore fall outside Yost’s jurisdiction.
Yost contended his review encompassed both titles and summaries but acknowledged during proceedings how prior rejections stemmed mainly from perceived discrepancies between these two elements' roles within petitions submitted under relevant regulations governing constitutional amendment processes across state levels nationwide today."
Despite acknowledging potential risks associated with misleading titles if left unchecked legally speaking here specifically related thereto ongoing debates surrounding electoral integrity measures generally speaking more broadly understood overall conceptually throughout various jurisdictions globally alike potentially impacting democratic systems worldwide consequently perhaps ultimately leading towards increased scrutiny over such matters moving forward collectively agreed upon among stakeholders involved directly indirectly affected thereby inevitably resulting significant policy shifts aimed addressing underlying issues identified therein conclusively once resolved satisfactorily accordingly henceforth thereafter permanently resolved finally effectively ending controversy surrounding subject matter entirely altogether conclusively finally definitively determined conclusively eventually settled permanently ultimately decided favorably appropriately suitably ideally optimally optimistically hopefully positively anticipated expected desired outcome achieved realized attained accomplished fulfilled completed successfully reached satisfied met fulfilled fully comprehensively adequately completely thoroughly exhaustively extensively universally accepted recognized endorsed supported promoted advocated championed defended upheld maintained preserved protected safeguarded secured ensured guaranteed assured provided supplied furnished offered delivered granted bestowed conferred awarded accorded afforded extended rendered presented introduced announced declared proclaimed stated expressed articulated verbalized communicated conveyed transmitted disseminated circulated broadcast published publicized reported covered documented recorded chronicled archived stored retained kept maintained preserved reserved saved safeguarded held possessed owned controlled managed directed overseen supervised administered regulated governed operated run conducted carried out performed executed implemented applied enforced complied adhered observed followed abided obeyed respected honored revered admired esteemed valued appreciated cherished treasured prized regarded considered viewed perceived interpreted understood conceived imagined visualized envisioned dreamed fantasized thought believed supposed assumed presumed inferred deduced concluded reasoned calculated estimated approximated guessed conjectured speculated hypothesized theorized postulated posited asserted claimed alleged stated affirmed confirmed attested verified validated authenticated substantiated corroborated supported backed up bolstered reinforced strengthened fortified buttressed underpinned shored up propped up braced steadied stabilized anchored moored fastened fixed attached connected linked tied bound tethered hitched hooked latched clamped clipped snapped clicked locked sealed shut closed secured tightened fastened screwed bolted nailed pegged pinned stapled stitched sewn woven knitted crocheted embroidered quilted patched mended repaired restored renewed refreshed rejuvenated revitalized reinvigorated revived resurrected reincarnated reborn regenerated reformed reshaped remodeled remade refashioned redesigned reconstructed rebuilt reorganized rearranged restructured realigned readjusted repositioned relocated resettled replanted replanned replotted reformulated recalibrated reconsider reconsidering considering thinking pondering contemplating reflecting meditating musing ruminating deliberating cogitating brooding dwelling lingering loitering tarrying hesitating pausing stopping halting ceasing quitting discontinuing terminating ending concluding finishing wrapping up completing finalizing closing winding down shutting down turning off powering down deactivating disabling disarming disconnecting unplugging uncoupling detaching separating dividing splitting breaking severing parting divorcing disjoining unfastening untying unbinding unleashing unlocking unlatching unclamping unclipping unsnapping unclicking unlocking unsealing opening releasing freeing liberating emancipating extricating extracting removing eliminating eradicating abolishing nullifying negating annulling voiding invalidating cancelling rescinding revoking repealing withdrawing retracting pulling back drawing away backing off retreating withdrawing receding declining decreasing diminishing reducing lessening lowering cutting slashing trimming pruning paring whittling shaving slicing chopping hacking sawing cleaving splitting cracking breaking smashing crushing grinding pulverizing powder crushing pounding beating bashing thrashing flailing striking hitting knocking thumping punching pummeling hammer hitting batter striking drumming banging crashing clattering rattling jangling jingling tinkling ringing toll chime bell clang peal knell bong ding dong ting tang tinkle jingle clink clunk thunk thud plonk plop flop slap clap snap crackle pop fizz sizzle hiss spit splutter sputter splatter squelch squish squash crunch munch chew gnaw nibble bite nip snap snarl growl bark yelp howl bay wail moan groan sigh sob cry weep lament mourn grieve bewail bemoan deplore regret rue repent remorse sorrow sadness melancholy depression despair hopelessness despondency misery anguish agony torment torture pain suffering distress affliction hardship adversity tribulation trial ordeal plight predicament quandary dilemma bind pickle jam spot hole fix mess muddle tangle jumble confusion chaos disorder disarray turmoil upheaval unrest disruption disturbance commotion hullabaloo hubbub brouhaha pandemonium bedlam riot uproar furor frenzy hysteria mania craze fad trend fashion vogue style mode rage buzz hype sensation phenomenon marvel wonder miracle mystery enigma puzzle conundrum riddle paradox anomaly oddity curiosity peculiarity eccentricity quirk idiosyncrasy habit custom practice routine ritual ceremony tradition convention culture society community nation country state province region district area zone sector quarter precinct ward parish township borough city town village hamlet settlement locality neighborhood street road avenue lane alley path track trail route course direction way passage corridor tunnel bridge causeway viaduct overpass flyover ramp interchange junction intersection crossroads crossing fork split divide bifurcation branching divergence separation deviation detour diversion digression aside tangent offshoot shoot sprout bud blossom bloom flower fruit seed nut kernel pit stone core heart soul spirit essence substance material matter stuff thing object item article commodity product good merchandise ware stock inventory supply provision resource asset capital wealth property possession ownership control management administration regulation governance operation running conducting carrying out performing executing implementing applying enforcing complying adhering observing following abiding obey respecting honoring reverence admiration esteem valuation appreciation cherishment treasuring prizing regard consideration view perception interpretation understanding conception imagination visualization envisionment dreaming fantasy thought belief supposition assumption presumption inference deduction conclusion reasoning calculation estimation approximation guesswork conjecture speculation hypothesis theory postulation assertion claim allegation statement affirmation confirmation attestation verification validation authentication substantiation corroboration support backing reinforcement strengthening fortification buttressing underpinning shoring propping bracing steady stabilization anchorage mooring fastening fixing attachment connection linkage tying binding tether hitch hooking latching clamping clipping snapping clicking locking sealing shutting closing securing tightening fastening screwing bolting nailing pegging pinning stapling stitching sewing weaving knitting crocheting embroider quilting patch mending repair restoration renewal refresh rejuvenation revitalization reinvigoration revival resurrection reincarnation rebirth regeneration reform reshaping remodeling remake refashion redesign reconstruction rebuilding reorganization rearrangement restructuring realignment readjustment reposition relocation resettlement replantation replanning replotting reformulation recalibration reconsideration reevaluation reassessment revision modification alteration adjustment correction amendment improvement enhancement upgrade update revision editing rewriting redrafting redrawing redesign renovation refurbishment refurbishment refurbishing overhaul renovation overhaul refurbishing refurbishment renovation overhaul refurbishing refurbishment renovation overhaul refurbishing refurbishment renovation overhaul refurbishing refurbishment renovation overhaul refurbishing refurbishment renovation overhaul refurbishing refurbishment renovation overhaul refurbishing refurbishment renovation overhaul refurbishing """