Montgomery County Issue 18 — City of Kettering: Charter Amendment

Last updated Sat, Nov 7, 4:33 PM ET

Ballot measure · November 3, 2026 · Kettering voters

What it does
The City of Kettering proposes amending Kettering City Charter Section 7-2 Powers and Duties, as follows: Before the Planning Commission shall recommend to Council the rezoning of any lands it shall hold a public hearing on the question. The Planning Commission shall cause a notice of the public hearing to be published using at least one of the following methods: (1) In a newspaper of general circulation in the municipal corporation; (2) On the official public notice web site established under section 125.182 of the Revised Code; (3) On the web site of the municipal corporation. That notice shall be published in advance of the public hearing, with the length of time in advance to be set by the Zoning Code; it shall contain a summary of the question and state the time and place of the public hearing. It may make a base map to be titled the "Official Map of the Municipality of Kettering". It shall have control over the platting and subdivision of lands and the improvement or development thereof. In the performance of its function, the Planning Commission may enter upon any land and make examinations and surveys, and place and maintain necessary monuments and marks thereon. (Removes: "in a newspaper of general circulation within the corporate limits of the City.") Shall the proposed charter amendment, as reported by the charter commission of the City of Kettering be adopted?
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).

Official text: source

Background

Kettering's Charter requires the Mayor to appoint a Charter Review Committee at least once every ten years; according to the city, Mayor Suddith appointed 11 residents to the 2026 committee, which met five times between March 26 and May 15, 2026, and submitted its recommendations to Council on May 26, 2026.

According to the committee's written recommendation, Charter Sections 4-3 and 7-2 require publication in a local newspaper, and since the cost of publishing public notices in newspapers keeps rising while subscriptions decrease, allowing other publication options would lower costs to the City and add flexibility.

This question changes Section 7-2 so that notice of a Planning Commission rezoning hearing may be published in a newspaper, on the state's official public notice website, or on the city's website, instead of only in a newspaper.

City Council accepted the recommendations by Resolution 11493-26 on May 26, 2026, and on June 23, 2026, passed Ordinance 4455-26 placing them on the ballot as separate questions; the ordinance states it was passed with at least two-thirds of Council members concurring.

Put on the ballot by Kettering City Council on the recommendation of the 2026 Charter Review Committee, June 23, 2026 (Ordinance 4455-26).

From official source 1, official source 2, official source 3, official source 4.

See your members of Congress and every race and measure on your ballot in Montgomery County, from your address. Your address stays in your browser.Look up my races

Next elections here

Also on Montgomery County ballots

All Montgomery County races and measures →

Quick answers

How many votes does Montgomery County Issue 18 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 Montgomery County Issue 18?
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 Montgomery County ballot.

See something wrong on this page? Report a problem · Corrections