Columbus City Council Advances Proposals to Expand Body and Overhaul Election Methods
The Columbus City Council has unanimously passed two charter amendments that will be presented to voters in November. These proposals aim to change how residents elect their council representatives and expand the size of the council. Proposed Amendment No. 1, supported by the 'Our City, Our Say' coalition, seeks to establish district-only council elections using existing district boundaries. The council's own proposal, Proposed Amendment No. 2, would create nine district-elected seats and expand the council from nine to thirteen members by adding four at-large seats elected citywide. Council member Rob Dorans plans to introduce campaign finance reform legislation at the August 31 council meeting, with a vote anticipated in September. Currently, Columbus is the most populous U.S. city where all council members are elected citywide, even though candidates must live in the district they wish to represent. The system, approved by voters in 2018, took effect in 2023. 
