SMART's Proposed Charter Amendment for 2026

The SMART Coalition aims to strengthen Marysville by amending the Charter of Marysville with respect to referendums. Referendums are the process where a local ordinance passed by City Council can instead be placed on the ballot for Marysville residents to vote on to determine if the ordinance is passed.  Ohioans have been reserved the right of the referendum process for over 100 years.  One step in the referendum process is to circulate a petition that collects signatures. The number of signatures required is a percentage of voters who voted in the last governor election.  In 2025 the Ohio Legislature increased this percentage from 10% up to 35%. The signature amount required in the referendum process was more than tripled!

The SMART Coalition is circulating a petition to put a Proposed Charter Amendment on the ballot that would:

• Return the required signature percentage for a referendum back to 10%.
• Enable signatures to be collected prior to the City of Marysville providing a certified copy of the proposed ordinance to the Petition Filing Committee.
• Enable Marysville residents to maintain some control over local issues.