Franklin County Issue 26 — Gahanna – Proposed Charter Amendment

Last updated Sat, Nov 7, 4:07 PM ET

Ballot measure · November 3, 2026 · Gahanna voters

What it does
Gahanna – Proposed Charter Amendment — Shall Section 22.01, Composition and Term, of Article XXII, Charter Review Commission, be amended to require that the Charter Review Commission be convened every ten years instead of every five years?
A YES vote means
Gahanna's Charter Review Commission would be convened every ten years instead of every five years.
A NO vote means
Gahanna's Charter Review Commission would still be convened every five years.
Needed to pass
A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Left–right lean
Not a left–right issue: a procedural or local question that liberals and conservatives don't typically split on (AI read of the official ballot summary).

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Explained

Today

  • Gahanna's Charter (Article XXII, Section 22.01) requires a seven-member Charter Review Commission to be appointed in January 1996 and every five years after. Council appoints four members and the Mayor three; members may hold no other city office.
  • The Commission reviews the Charter and recommends amendments to Council; any Charter change must be approved by voters. The 2026 Commission's recommendations led to ten Charter questions, Issues 18 through 27, on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Under the current rule, the next review would come in 2031.

If it passes

  • The Commission would be appointed every ten years instead of every five, with the next one in January 2036.
  • Its makeup (seven residents, four appointed by Council and three by the Mayor, unpaid) would stay the same.
  • It would take effect if a majority of Gahanna voters approve it.

Who would notice

Gahanna residents, since the Commission is the regular route for reviewing the City Charter. It does not change any tax.

How it got here

The 2026 Charter Review Commission recommended it. City Council passed Resolution RES-0034-2026 on July 20, 2026 to submit it to voters. The stated reasoning is to reduce how often the Charter is revised and promote long-term stability in the City's foundational governing document.

Written by SpectrumVote from 4 linked sources (1, 2, 3, 4). Arguments are each side's own, not ours; the official text is what you vote on.

Background

The 2026 Gahanna Charter Review Commission, a seven-member body appointed by Council and the Mayor, recommended this amendment among ten it transmitted to City Council on June 30, 2026; Council adopted the resolution placing it on the ballot on its consent agenda on July 20, 2026.

The Charter now requires a seven-member Charter Review Commission to be appointed every five years (counting from 1996); the amendment would change this to every ten years starting in 2036.

The Commission's stated reasoning is to reduce the frequency of Charter revisions and promote long-term stability of the Charter.

Put on the ballot by Gahanna City Council, July 20, 2026 (RES-0034-2026), on recommendation of the 2026 Charter Review Commission.

From official source 1, official source 2, official source 3.

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Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Franklin County Issue 26 mean?
Gahanna's Charter Review Commission would be convened every ten years instead of every five years.
What does a NO vote on Franklin County Issue 26 mean?
Gahanna's Charter Review Commission would still be convened every five years.
Is this one of several Charter questions?
Yes. Council approved ten Charter amendments from the 2026 review, Issues 18 through 27. Each is voted on separately.
When would the next review happen?
In January 2036 if it passes, instead of 2031 under the current five-year cycle.
What vote does it need?
A simple majority of Gahanna voters.
How many votes does Franklin County Issue 26 need to pass?
A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Should I vote yes or no on Franklin County Issue 26?
SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.
When is the vote?
The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Not sure how to decide? Read our nonpartisan guide to the Franklin County ballot.

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