The referendum that will determine the fate of Senate Bill 5 has taken its official form. Last Thursday, Secretary of State John Husted (R) announced that it will be Issue 2 in the general election this November. The ballot language approved by Husted and the Ohio Ballot Board describes Senate Bill 5 as "a new law relative to government union contracts and other government employment contracts and policies."
The decision also resolves another question that had arisen regarding the significance of a "yes" or a "no" vote. According to newspaper reports, one group supporting Senate Bill 5 was attempting to obtain the "no" spot on the ballot, such that a "no" vote would mean that the law would be allowed to take effect. The ballot language approved last Thursday, however, clearly states that a "yes" vote means the voter approves the law — allowing it to take effect — and a "no" vote means the voter rejects the law.