Ballot Board Continues Silencing Ohioans' Voices with Shameful Equal Rights Amendment Decision

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Terrence Upchurch (D-Cleveland) today released the following statement after Wednesday’s Ballot Board Meeting, where Republicans split the Ohio Equal Rights Amendment into two ballot measures, furthering their agenda to limit Ohioans’ fundamental right at the ballot box:

“Once again Secretary LaRose and republican ballot board members show their extremism in ignoring longstanding law on the rights of Ohioans to amend the constitution,” said Rep. Upchurch. “Instead of letting voters decide what’s best for Ohio, he’s decided to rig the game to benefit the outcome he and his political allies want. LaRose and republican ballot board members have once again undermined the will of the people of Ohio from exercising their fundamental right to make decisions directly at the ballot box, free from partisan interference.”

To make the November 2026 ballot now, proponents will now either have to collect double the number of signatures to get both proposals approved or sue the Ohio Ballot Board to overturn its decision.

The Ohio Equal Rights Amendment would protect citizens from discrimination based on race, color, creed or religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression regardless of sex assigned at birth, pregnancy status, genetic information, disease status, age, disability, recovery status, familial status, ancestry, national origin, or military and veteran status. It would also replace the existing constitutional ban on Ohio same sex marriage with an affirmative right for same-sex couples to marry in Ohio-a right that only exists due to U.S. Supreme Court action.