Protesters rally in front of the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, after the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a military operation. (AP Photo/Jessica Phelps)

Ohio Equal Rights has started collecting signatures to get two amendments on the November ballot — one to get rid of the ban on same-sex marriage in the Ohio Constitution and the other to bolster discrimination protections.

The second amendment would add language to the state’s constitution protecting citizens from discrimination based on race, color, creed or religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression regardless of sex assigned at birth, pregnancy status, genetic information, disease status, age, disability, recovery status, familial status, ancestry, national origin, or military and veteran status.

“Individual rights are constantly under attack in this country, and Ohioans deserve protections that cannot be taken away by shifting political winds,” said Susan Appel, Volunteer Campaign Manager for Ohio Equal Rights.

“We cannot trust that the government will always do the right thing simply because it should. So we’re doing what Ohioans have always done–we’re taking matters into our own hands.”

Ohio Equal Rights, a grassroots organization, will need to collect about 413,487 signatures from at least 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties — 10% of the total vote cast for governor during the last gubernatorial election — for each amendment in order to get on the ballot. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose will then need to verify the signatures.

Protesters rally in front of the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, after the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a military operation. (AP Photo/Jessica Phelps)

Because they are trying to get two amendments on the ballot, volunteers are trying to circulate both petitions at the same time, said Lis Regula, Ohio Equal Rights Executive Co-Chair.

Hocking County is the county that is closest to completion with signatures, he said.

“The narrative that rural Ohio is less concerned about rights at this point does not seem to be the case,” Regula said.

Ohio Equal Rights originally had one proposed amendment, but the Ohio Ballot Board decided over the summer their proposal actually contained two amendments. They could have challenged the ruling in the Ohio Supreme Court, but decided to move forward with two amendments. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost certified the summary language for both amendments in August.

“This certification should not be construed as an affirmation of the enforceability, constitutionality, or wisdom of the proposed amendment,” Yost said in both of his Aug. 8 letters. “Those matters are left for a different forum and another day.”

Ohio’s constitution includes a ban on same-sex marriage after 61.7% of Ohio voters approved an amendment in 2004 that says marriage is only between one man and one woman. The United States Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in 2015 through the Obergefell case originating out of Ohio.

However, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas called on the justices to revisit Obergefell after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

“Ohioans deserve a Constitution that reflects the will of the people–not outdated laws or political agendas,” Appel said. “These amendments are about protecting families, protecting freedom, and protecting the basic principle that government should not be telling people how to live their lives.”

The 2026 ballot will also include the governor’s race and other statewide executive offices.

Original story can be found at https://ohiocapitaljournal.com