There will be only one ballot issue all Madison County voters will consider in the Nov. 3 general election – the State Issue 3 question on whether requiring photo ID at the polls should be made part of the Ohio Constitution.
Otherwise, the issues will be local to where voters live, such as the seven amendments proposed to the village charter in West Jefferson, a zoning plan proposed in Darby Township, several levy requests for fire and ambulance service, and more.
Early in-person voting in Ohio is underway and ends Nov. 1 with varying hours and limited weekend times. To see the voting days and hours, go to the Ohio Secretary of State's schedule at: ohiosos.gov/elections/voting-schedule
Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election
Day, Nov. 3.
Applications for absentee ballots to vote by mail must be received by boards of elections by close of business on Oct. 27. Absentee ballots must be received by mail or returned to county boards of elections by 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 3.
Here is a round-up of the issues on Nov. 3 election ballots in Madison County as compiled from the county Board of Elections' certified list. NOTE: Local liquor options are not included in this list as those issues are decided only by voters in local precincts where the restaurants, stores and other businesses applying are located.
Municipal and other public agencies
London has two issues on the ballot:
● Renewal of a levy for 2.1 mills for five years for current expenses that will raise an estimated $439,585 annually. If approved, property owners will pay $43 for each $100,000 of the county auditor's appraised value.
● Should the city be authorized to enter into service agreements to aggregate retail natural gas purchases in an effort to save money for residents, except those who opt out.
West Jefferson residents will consider seven village charter amendments, summaries of which from the village website are provided below. A full text of the charter changes is available on the village website, with the current charter language in red and the proposed charter language in blue below in each section.
● Office of the Mayor: (3.01, 3.04-3.07, 3.09) Updates appointment powers and expands list of officials the mayor can appoint or delegate. Clarifies mayoral succession and vacancy procedures, including when successorsserve remaining terms or are elected. Prohibits an elected mayor or candidate from serving if they have a felony conviction. Adds training requirements for new mayors, including minimum hours andapproved organizations for training.
● City Council (4.02, 4.04, 4.06): Updates administrative references, and procedural rules. Revises qualifications, disqualifications – including felony convictions – and training requirements for council members. Clarifies procedures for filling vacancies, removal, and attendance.
● Clerk of Council: Provides procedures for filling vacancies and appointing deputies. Establishes Clerk as a defined position with an appointment cycle and assigns specific duties.
● Meetings, Notices, Legislation & Executive Session: Modernizes meeting notice rules to include electronic publication. Reduces missed meetings eligible for pay from four to two and clarifies notice and voting procedures. Ensures compliance with Ohio law for executive sessions and future amendments
● Executive Directors & Administration: Defines roles & qualifications for the Finance, Public Service, and Public Safety departments and for the Law Director. Expands responsibilities, including financial management, engineering, and police appointment procedures. Adds requirements for police chief qualifications. Updates the unclassified service list to include new and proposed offices. A number of formatting/numbering changes were made.
● Planning & Zoning Commission: Clarification of composition and procedure for the five-member commission. Updates and renumbers the Commission’s organizational and procedural provisions. Updates notification process for meetings to include electronic publication. Adds express authority for Council to overrule a Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation by a ¾ vote of the full council membership.
● General Powers, Nominations, Conflict of Interest, Anti-Nepotism & Technical Changes: Reorganizes/updates the general municipal-powers language while preserving the charter’s general grant of municipal authority. Clarifies nomination requirements. Replaces language with application of Ohio laws governing conflicts of interest. Expressly applies the provision to elected and appointed officials, municipal employees, and appointees to boards and commissions. Clarifies hiring/appointment restriction of immediate family members. Adds authority for technical reorganization while prohibiting such corrections to change the charter’s intent or substance.
Central Townships Joint Fire District (Deercreek, Monroe, Oak Run, Paint, Somerford and Union townships and Choctaw Lake East & West) – Additional tax of 4.75 mills for five years fire protection and emergency medical services equipment and operations that would raise an estimated $2.19 million annually. If approved, property owners will pay $166 for each $100,000 of the county auditor's market value.
Darby Township – Voters must decide whether a proposed township zoning plan regulating buildings and structures and use of lots and land in the unincorporated area of the township should be adopted to replace the Madison County Zoning Resolution. The county zoning plan currently covers many of the 14 townships in the county.
Madison County Emergency Medical District – (Deercreek, Monroe, Oak Run, Paint, Somerford and Union townships and Choctaw Lake East & West) – An additional 4.75 mills for five years to provide ambulance service and/or emergency medical service that the county auditor estimates will collect $2,199,290 annually. If approved, property owners would pay $166.25 for each $100,000 of the county auditor's market value.
Range Township – Renewal levy of 1.7 mills for five years for fire protection that is expected to raise an estimated $45,940 annually. If approved, property owners would pay $12 for each $100,000 of the county auditor's market value.
Sterling Joint Ambulance District (Mt. Sterling and Range, Stokes and Pleasant townships) – Renewal levy of 1.8 mills for five years estimated to raise $489,825 annually. If approved, property owners would pay $36 for each $100,000 of the county auditor's appraised value.
Tri-County Joint Fire District – (Mt. Sterling, Pleasant Township) – Additional tax of 2.5 mills for five years to provide firefighting, ambulance, paramedic or other emergency medical services that would raise $710,410 annually. If approved, property owners would pay $88 for each $100,000 of the county auditor's market value.
Schools
Jefferson Local School District (West Jefferson and Jefferson Township) - Addition 2.55 mills for five years for permanent improvements that will generate $859,370 annually. If approved, property owners will pay $89 for each $100,000 of the county auditor's market value.
Miami Trace Local School District (Pleasant and Range townships) - Renewal of a 2.2 mills levy for five years for current expenses estimated to generate $1.9 million annually. If approved, property owners would pay $77 for each $100,000 of the county auditor's market value.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Several fire and EMS levies on local ballots in Madison County
