State and Local Government

1802 Constitution

• Ohio’s original constitution when it became a state that gave massive power to the General Assembly, created a very weak executive branch, and had a court system with no appellate level

• Ohio’s second constitution that strengthened the executive branch, added an appellate court level, and placed limits on the legislature including a debt limit

• The current governing document that organizes Ohio into three branches with strong checks and balances and elected judges

• The document that created home rule powers for cities and villages in Ohio

1851 Constitution

• Ohio’s second constitution that enlarged the executive branch, added an appellate level of courts, and placed several limits on the General Assembly including a debt limit with judges and several officials now elected by popular vote

• Ohio’s original constitution that gave massive power to the legislature and created a very weak executive with no appellate courts

• The constitution that eliminated all term limits for state officials and appointed all judges for life

• The document that first allowed citizens to use initiative and referendum to make laws

General Assembly

• Ohio's legislative branch made up of the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio

  Senate

• Ohio's highest court consisting of seven elected justices who serve six-year terms

• The chief executive office responsible for enforcing state laws and managing the budget

• A subdivision of a county that provides local services in rural areas

Similarities – Ohio and federal government

• Both create a representative government with limited power, a bill of rights, three branches with checks and balances, and a two-chamber legislature

• Both allow citizens to propose laws directly through initiative and elect judges for fixed terms

• Both have lawmakers with term limits and give citizens the power to overrule the legislature through referendum

• Both appoint judges for life and prevent citizens from participating directly in lawmaking

Differences – Only apply to Ohio government

• Ohio lawmakers have term limits, citizens can make policy directly through initiative and referendum, and judges are elected by popular vote for six-year terms

• Ohio lawmakers have no term limits, citizens cannot participate directly in lawmaking, and judges serve for life

• Ohio has a very weak executive branch with no veto power and no debt limits on the legislature

• Ohio gives massive power to the legislature and has no appellate court system

Differences – Only apply to federal government

• Federal lawmakers have no term limits, citizens cannot participate directly in lawmaking, and judges are appointed and serve for life

• Federal lawmakers have term limits, citizens can propose laws through initiative, and judges are elected for six-year terms

• Federal government allows popular vote on all laws through referendum and has a very weak executive

• Federal government gives massive power to the legislature with no checks and balances

Initiative

• A procedure by which voters can propose a law or constitutional amendment directly if they gather enough valid signatures, allowing them to bypass the legislature

• A procedure through which a legislative act is referred to voters for final approval so they can overrule the legislature

• The official term for a law passed at the local level by a city or village council

• The power of the governor to reject bills passed by the General Assembly

Referendum

• A procedure through which a legislative act is referred for final approval to a popular vote by the electorate, allowing them to overrule the legislature if enough signatures are gathered

• A procedure by which voters propose a new law or amendment directly by gathering signatures and bypassing the legislature

• The official term for a state or federal law passed by the legislature

• The process of electing township trustees and county commissioners

Problems with the 1802 Constitution

• Ohio voters had limited political power, tax dollars were mismanaged, the state supreme court was overwhelmed with cases, and the state was in massive debt

• The executive branch was too powerful, judges served for life, and citizens had too many ways to make laws directly

• Lawmakers had strict term limits, the legislature could not pass debt, and all judges were elected

• The constitution created strong home rule powers for all cities and villages

Governor

• The chief executive official in the state, similar to the President, with the power to enforce the law and sign or veto bills from the legislature, elected every four years

• The executive official who assists the governor and succeeds if needed, elected on the same ticket every four years

• The executive official who oversees elections and certifies results, elected every four years