Ohio
Here’s what won’t make the November ballot in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The proposals to overturn legislation overhauling higher education, eliminate property taxes and end qualified immunity will not be on the November ballot, despite advocates trying to get the question to Ohio voters.
Public education advocates have fallen short 50,000 signatures of the needed 250,000 to put a referendum on the Ohio ballot, Youngstown State University Professor Dr. Cryshanna Jackson Leftwich said. She was aiming to repeal Senate Bill 1, a controversial college overhaul bill.
The effort was led by a small grassroots organization made up of mainly Youngstown State professors like Jackson Leftwich. The group had no money, no backing from statewide or national education groups or paid canvassers — which she said was a problem.
Typically, successful coalitions submit hundreds of thousands more signatures, because oftentimes they are invalid. When Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, the group putting an amendment on the ballot to protect abortion, IVF and contraception, they submitted 300,000 more signatures than needed as cushion room. The group needed around 415,000, submitted 710,000 and ended with about 500,000 valid.
“It shouldn’t take millions of dollars to fight [for] democracy,” she said. “It shouldn’t take millions of dollars for consultants and lawyers for average voting citizens to say, ‘Hey, this is an unjust bill.’”
State Sen. Jerry Cirino, the top Republican on the influential Finance Committee, introduced the legislation.
“It provides for a policy to be established for what I call intellectual diversity, which is very important,” Cirino said. “It means openness to all various thoughts about various issues, which is the opposite of indoctrination — indoctrination is when you expose students to only one train of thought, so a monolithic thought environment. That is not good for students.”
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This massive bill focuses on what the Republican calls “free speech,” banning public universities in Ohio from Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, having “bias” in the classroom, and limiting how “controversial topics” can and can’t be taught. Eliminating DEI would mean no diversity offices, training, or scholarships.
“I believe that will benefit students greatly and produce better students who know how to think and analyze and come to their own conclusions,” he added.
Students and professors from across the state have continued to argue that there is nothing wrong with their education, and they are furious that lawmakers are trying to interrupt their classes.
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This is one of the most protested-against bills in recent Ohio history. There were roughly 1,500 people who submitted opponent testimony against S.B. 1, and there were about 30 who submitted in support. Which is why Amanda Fehlbaum, a YSU professor, was shocked when no larger organizations “stepped up” to help them, she said.
The group raised $45,000 in six weeks and collected the signatures without any paid assistance, which was very challenging, Fehlbaum added, emphasizing that larger groups said that a referendum would be “too expensive,” she said.
Cirino told us Thursday that he isn’t surprised that the effort failed, because he said the bill is good policy.
“I think their biggest problem was that this was a group of disgruntled faculty members, mostly from Youngstown State, who are satisfied with the status quo in higher education,” he said. “They couldn’t be more detached from reality in terms of what needs to be done to make Ohio’s Higher Ed the very best we can be.”
But the S.B. 1 repeal wasn’t the only “everyday” group that couldn’t get on the ballot.
The Citizens for Property Tax Reform didn’t submit the signatures they gathered.
“It’s such a huge undertaking,” organizer Beth Blackmarr said Thursday.
Blackmarr helped create a coalition of homeowners in Cuyahoga County, hoping to put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would eliminate property taxes.
Ohio citizens working to get proposal on ballot to abolish property taxes
Her team, Citizens for Property Tax Reform, knew they weren’t near the 415,000 they needed. She didn’t have an estimate of how many they collected, nor how much money they raised.
“As naive as we are, we may have underestimated, just a little bit, how big the response was really going to be,” she said. “That’s been quite rewarding, so we’ve asked everybody to keep on trucking and keep going.”
Despite both being grassroots, her situation is different from Jackson Leftwich’s for two main reasons: constitutional amendment proposals can be pushed back to future elections, and she told us a month ago that her proposal didn’t even have to reach the ballot.
“Hopefully, what legislators will do is counter with some legislation of their own,” she told me in May.
And it has worked.
“I’m hoping this does help to push us,” State Rep. David Thomas (R-Jefferson) said when I asked him about the tax amendment.
Thomas leads property tax relief discussions in the House and said that he and the other members heard Blackmarr. Since her amendment, lawmakers have been proposing more property tax relief bills and have passed several in the budget.
“This is a win-win for Ohio,” Blackmarr said.
Strategy has to come into play when getting an issue proposed statewide, she added.
“Is this indicative of the challenges that regular people face when trying to access the ballot?” I asked the professors.
“Ohio makes it as difficult as possible,” YSU’s Education Association President Mark Vopat said, detailing all of the work that must be done to go through the extensive collection process. “I believe that the state has made it as onerous as possible for individual citizens like us, — we’re doing this as a voluntary effort — to actually get some sort of referendum passed.”
For all ballot proposals, campaigns need valid signatures from at least 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties.
For referendums, the total signatures must be 6% of the total votes cast for governor during the last gubernatorial election. This makes the number about 248,092 valid signatures.
For initiated statutes, the total signatures must be 3% of the total vote cast for governor during the last gubernatorial election. This makes the number about 124,046 valid signatures.
For constitutional amendments, the total signatures must be 10% of the total vote cast for governor during the last gubernatorial election. This makes the number about 413,487 valid signatures.
There have been efforts to make this harder, though.
Republican leaders in Columbus are floating the idea of attempting to make it more difficult to amend the state constitution, a proposal that was defeated in 2023 by Ohioans across the political spectrum.
Another fight over majority rule in Ohio? Republican leaders float the idea.
Issue 1 in 2023 would have taken away majority rule in Ohio. The proposed constitutional amendment would have raised the threshold for constitutional amendments to pass from 50%+1, a simple majority, to 60%. It was defeated 57-43%.
The following year, 2024, the Senate GOP moved to increase the amount of counties campaigns must collect from and put more bureaucratic layers on advocates. They wanted to require all groups rallying for a cause that is receiving donations and spending money to register as a political action committee (PAC). This means that groups would have to file disclosures with the government, and it could make it more difficult to collect signatures to get a proposal on a township ballot.
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Other challenges campaigns can face deal with the political offices they must go through.
Ohio activists are starting to gather signatures to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would end qualified immunity — a protection for police and other government officials that prevents citizens from suing them.
State law prevents government officials from being held liable for civil damages unless the victim can prove that the officer violated their constitutional rights, which can be an uphill battle, advocates say.
The Ohio Coalition to End Qualified Immunity has been battling Attorney General Dave Yost to get their summary language approved so that they can collect signatures. He has rejected it eight times, and recently, in short, courts have required him to allow them to move forward.
From their approval, they would have only had two months at most to collect signatures. Although initially hopeful for November, their team told us Thursday that they are now aiming for 2026.
But when it comes to S.B. 1, Jackson Leftwich said this isn’t the end for them, either.
“If we got this on the ballot, we would have overturned it,” she said.
The group didn’t specify if and how they would try again, or just rely on the larger groups in future years.
Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.
ALLIANCE, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Wanda Lou Bailey, born August 8, 1940, in Charleston, West Virginia, passed away peacefully on April 18, 2026, in Louisville, Ohio. She was a beloved member of her community, whose life was marked by dedication to her family, faith, and numerous heartfelt pursuits.
A graduate of Poca High School in West Virginia in 1958, Wanda’s early years paved a foundation of commitment that she carried throughout her life. Her professional journey included roles at Big Lots and Quality Farm and Fleet, but it was her role as a pastor’s wife that truly defined much of her life’s work. Alongside her late husband, Rev. Paul Bailey, whom she married on May 31, 1958, Wanda was deeply involved in spiritual and community service until his passing on March 9, 2021.
Wanda’s warm spirit and spicy attitude extended beyond her family and church. She was known for her skills in puzzles, crafts, quilting-each piece a testament to her caring nature. Her memory bears, lovingly crafted from cherished fabrics, stand as small yet profound symbols of her dedication and love. She also volunteered for many years at Canaan Acres Christian Camp, embracing her role as “Camp Nana” with a heart full of grace and kindness, known by all who knew her there.
Wanda is survived by four devoted children: Paula (David) Monteleone, David (Debra) Bailey, Laura (Pastor Mike) Kimball, and Beth Bailey. She also leaves behind nine grandchildren-Jennifer (Nathaniel) Miller, Carrie (Casey) Callarick, Kimberly (Brandy) Brown, Michael (Heidi) McLaughlin, Gregory Bailey, Rev. Cassandra (Bryan) Wynn, Jeremiah (Jaclyn) Kimball, Courtnie (Jon) Eckelberry, and Joshua (Ruby) Vandeborne. Her legacy further extends through twenty-four great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren, as well as extended family who called her mom and nana, continuing her family lines that meant so much to her. Wanda was also sister to Mary McCalister, Clara Honaker, and Archie Quigley. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, William and Rebecca (Vansickle) Quigley, and her husband, Rev. Paul Bailey.
The community will gather to honor Wanda’s life and legacy with a viewing on April 25, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Canaan Acres Campground, located at 8020 Nazarene Ave NE, Louisville, Ohio 44641. A funeral service will follow at 4:00 PM the same day at the campground with her son in law Pastor Mike Kimball officiating. Entombment will take place at Highland Hills Cemetery in Follansbee, West Virginia. on Monday, April 27th the time will be announced at a later date.
Wanda Lou Bailey’s life was one of service, creativity, and boundless love-a true beacon to her family and community. She will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered by all who had the privilege to know her. Memorial contributions can be made in Wanda’s memory to “Camp Nana Fund) in care of Caanan Acres Campground, 8020 Nazarene Ave. NE Louisville, Ohio 44641. Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home, Sebring Chapel (330) 938-2526, www.grfuneralhome.com.
Family and friends may view send condolences at Gednetz-Ruzek-Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Service.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Wanda Lou Bailey, please visit our flower store.
EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Bonnie Sue Reed-Tilton-Hetzel, known lovingly as Bonnie, passed away on Thursday, April 16, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio, following a sudden unexpected medical emergency.
Bonnie was born on March 27, 1947, in East Liverpool, Ohio.
Bonnie lived a life marked by faith, devotion and steady love. She was a Christian woman, whose life reflected the goodness she believed in and shared with others. Those who knew her best will remember her as faith-filled, loving and generous, a woman who offered encouragement, comfort and warmth wherever she went. She carried herself with a spirit that lifted others and she lived with the kind of purpose that leaves a lasting imprint on family, church and community alike.
Bonnie was preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Crystal Tilton (surviving husband Daniel) Sigmon of North Carolina. She was also preceded in death by her mother, Helen Cameron-Reed-Salisbury of East Liverpool, Ohio; her father, Leonard A. Reed of Ohioville, Pennsylvania; her grandparents, Frank and Ethel Hager-Cameron and Ina Duncan-Reed-Sarvey; and her two brothers, L. Frank Reed of Mansfield, Ohio and William J. Reed Sr. of East Liverpool, Ohio. Though these loved ones have gone before her, the bond of family and memory remains strong, and her life was deeply shaped by the generations who came before her and the ones she helped raise with love.
Bonnie graduated from East Liverpool High School in 1965, where she lettered in music, played violin in the orchestra and the bellyra in the band, where they marched in the 1964 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, an achievement that stood as a proud memory of her youth. Her school years reflected her gift for music and her willingness to serve as part of something larger than herself. She later attended Kent State University and continued to live with a spirit of growth, learning and perseverance.
Her work ethic was strong and steady and she was respected for the many ways she contributed to the lives around her. She worked at Hills department store, Carriage Hill Meat Packing Plant and the United States Postal Service offices in Steubenville, Youngstown, Boardman, Austintown, East Liverpool and Calcutta. Later, she became self-employed in construction, roofing and remodeling, where her determination and practical skills were evident to all who knew her. Bonnie understood the value of honest work and she met life’s responsibilities with courage and grace.
Bonnie’s interests reflected her heart for ministry, family and fellowship. She loved delivering the word of God through music ministry, alongside her husband, bringing hope and comfort to nursing homes and prisons. She served her community and church, Lake Milton Baptist Temple, where she felt called to live with love and generosity. She also cherished hosting family dinners, where board games, laughter and togetherness created memories that will continue to bless her family for years to come. She enjoyed travel, especially trips to Florida and visits with family, and she valued church activities and the companionship of her six rescue cats, who were also part of the home she nurtured with tenderness.
She is survived by her devoted, faithful and loving husband, Frank Hetzel, or as she would call him “her Franko”, to whom she married on January 9th 1988; and her sister, Judi Reed-Cameron of Salem, Ohio, who will forever share in the treasured memories of a lifetime of sisterhood.
Bonnie leaves behind her two daughters, T. Renee Tilton-Rardon and her husband, Gene Goldberg of Wellsville, Ohio and April Tilton Large and her husband, David Large of Minerva, Ohio; as well as her son, Aaron Tilton of Lake Milton, Ohio. She also leaves behind her two stepdaughters, Mary Elizabeth Hetzel of Tennessee and Rebecca Hetzel Fowler and her husband, James Fowler of Tennessee; and her stepson, Robert Hetzel and his wife, Amy Hetzel of Wisconsin. Her family circle extends through 15 grandchildren, Nicholas (Ashleigh) Rardon, Zachary (Haylee) Cramer, Cassandra Sigmon, Elijah (Alexis) Sigmon, Joshua Sigmon, Alexa Sigmon, Emma Large, Ivy Large, Elyse Tingler, Danni Tingler, Tristan (Laurel) Fowler, Colton Fowler, Christian (Clarinda) Hetzel, Faith (Jacob) Charpentier and Joy (Aaron) Kamla; as well as five great-grandchildren, Macie Cramer, Damian Rardon, Savannah Rardon, Alleah Cramer and Petra Charpentier. Her family was one of her greatest joys, and she treasured each name, each face, and each precious moment shared together.
Bonnie’s life offers a testimony that speaks plainly and powerfully. A life grounded in Christ does not end in defeat, because the faithful are held in the hands of God. She lived with conviction, served with compassion and loved with an open heart. Her story reminds us that a life of prayer, service and kindness is never wasted. As Maya Angelou wrote, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Bonnie made people feel loved, remembered, welcomed and encouraged and that is a legacy that endures.
Though her earthly journey has ended, Bonnie’s influence remains in the music she shared, the meals she prepared, the prayers she prayed, the work she completed and the family she helped shape. Her life was a blessing and her memory will continue to call others toward faith, gratitude and love. May those who mourn her also celebrate the hope she lived by, trusting that the same God who sustained her in life now holds her in eternal peace.
Romans 8:6
King James Version
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
Viewing and services will be held on Monday, April 20, 2026, at Lake Milton Baptist Temple, 415 S Pricetown Road, Diamond, Ohio 44412. Viewing will be held from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m., with a service following at 3:00 p.m.
A small burial service for immediate family will be held at the cemetery afterwards.
There will be a dinner held at the church’s hall after funeral services and everyone is welcome to join to celebrate Bonnie’s life.
Arrangements for the family have been provided by Bernard P. Borowski Memorial Home.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bonnie Sue (Reed) Tilton-Hetzel, please visit our floral store.
A television tribute will air Monday, April 20, at the following approximate times: 6:47 a.m. on WYTV, 9:43 a.m. on WKBN, 10:58 a.m. on FOX and 8:12 p.m. on MyYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.
Fans got their first glimpse of the 2026-2027 Buckeyes during their spring game earlier today. In contrast to last year’s offensive takeover, it was the defense this year that shined for the most part.
With this, we still saw plenty of Buckeyes that proved that they are ready to play, and ready to play now. Here are three standouts from the Ohio State Spring Game.
Chris Henry Jr.
Coming into the game, most Ohio State fans had already penciled Chris Henry Jr., the No. 1 WR in the 2026 class according to ESPN, as the successor to Carnell Tate in the Buckeye offense.
Anyone that didn’t, probably should now.
The freshman wideout hauled in 4 passes for 96 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter.
Playing all snaps on the outside, Henry Jr. looked very poised, showcasing smooth route running and breakaway speed. The connection between him and another Buckeye on this list was the highlight of the offense for the day. There is no doubt he should be an immediate contributor in this Ohio State offense.
Tavien St. Clair
After a subpar showing at the spring game last year, Tavien St. Clair showed flashes of the top-10 recruit he was just two years ago.
He dazzled early with two big completions to Chris Henry Jr., showing off his big arm in the process.
His touchdown pass to Henry Jr. was a beautiful look off from St. Clair, who launched it right to the right pylon to find the freshman wideout.
It was not all sunshine and rainbows for St. Clair on the day though, as he was forced into a couple three-and-outs as well as a few balls that could have been intercepted.
All in all, all tools are there for St. Clair to be great when his number is called, and another year of growth under Julian Sayin should help him get there.
Beau Atkinson
Buckeye fans were surprised when Beau Atkinson was basically a non-factor on the defensive line a season ago, as the hype around him coming from North Carolina was immense.
The player they expected to see last year was on full display, as the senior finished the day with a sack and an interception off a Julian Sayin batted ball at the line of scrimmage.
His high motor was one to watch early, as his get-off and confidence at the position looked vastly improved from last year. He is one to seriously watch to be the starter next to Kenyatta Jackson Jr. come September.
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