Columbus City Council Public Hearing on Council Structure Reform - July 28, 2026
Columbus City Council Public Hearing on Council Structure Reform - July 28, 2026
This public hearing, convened by Columbus City Council on July 28, 2026, focused on a citizen-led charter amendment (the "simple fix") by the R City RSA coalition to replace the current at-large council election system with nine true district seats, and on potential complementary amendments that council might place on the November 2026 ballot. Council members, the coalition, staff, and over 30 public speakers debated the merits of district-only, at-large, and hybrid models, as well as related issues of redistricting, campaign finance, and racial representation. No formal votes were taken; council indicated it will vote on August 24, 2026 to advance the coalition's amendment and potentially its own concurrent amendment.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Maitland Neff (volunteer with Our City Our Say): Expressed full support for the district-only charter amendment, arguing it lowers barriers to entry and makes council members more accountable to neighborhoods.
- Eric Cunningham (Vice President, CWA Local 4502): Opposed eliminating at-large seats, stating that at-large representation ensures citywide vision and collaboration; warned against losing sight of the big picture.
- Jamie Shoemaker (Executive Director, Central Ohio Labor Council, AFL-CIO): Stated that preserving at-large representation is "not negotiable" for labor; argued that district-only seats risk divisiveness and that current maps were not designed for voting districts.
- Will Harmon (via proxy) (President, AFSCME Local 1632): Expressed support for some reform but insisted on retaining at-large seats to maintain citywide perspective; urged getting the maps right and not moving too fast.
- Sharon Kim (Lead Organizer, Asian American Midwest Progressives Ohio, petition committee member): Shared personal experience with district representation in New York City, arguing that district council members can collaborate for the greater good; urged council to support the R City RSA proposal and not send a conflicting plan.
- Sarah Cherry (Democratic attorney, voting rights expert): Opposed the district-only measure and any hybrid; expressed concern about low recall thresholds; argued that the current at-large system has produced a diverse council and that voters can unite across the city; criticized R City RSA for lack of transparency.
- Jennifer Creighton (resident): Supported district voting, asserting that the current system has failed to address neighborhood needs, such as ADA compliance in Hilltop; rejected the narrative that district voting would harm minority representation.
- Danielle Dillard (Vice President, Livingston Avenue Area Commission): Argued that at-large representation is insufficient for neighborhood accountability; recounted personal experiences of unreturned calls and ignored community concerns; called for district-only representation.
- Kaz Kamara (petition collector): Emphasized that 23,000 signers demand the exact proposal they signed, not a compromise with at-large seats; urged council to respect the citizen initiative process.
- Sean Walton (President, NAACP Columbus): Stated reform is needed but raised concerns about the impact on Black political power; urged careful consideration of district maps and campaign finance; did not present an official NAACP position but spoke to broad community sentiment; also read a statement from Stephanie Hightower of the Columbus Urban League supporting a hybrid system with both district and at-large seats.
- Nathaniel Wilkins (resident, 19-year resident of Linden): Expressed support for district representation, noting that at-large system neglects neighborhoods and fails to serve the visually impaired and elderly populations.
- Dr. Nathaniel Harris (community servant): Supported reform but cautioned against creating nine insular territories; argued that a hybrid model preserving citywide responsibility is needed; called for increased trust and access to data.
- David Gray (resident): Quoted Victor Hugo, asserting that the idea of district voting has come; argued that the system is broken when seven council members have more power than 23,000 signers; urged support for the petition as is.
- Kara Dillon (Board of Trustees, League of Women Voters of Metro Columbus): Announced the League's endorsement of the R City RSA initiative with reservations; stated the League believes council should immediately convene a study group to address unintended consequences.
- Pastor Cameron Harris (resident, pastor): Supported a hybrid system based on his experience representing a congregation that spans multiple districts; argued that at-large seats provide an additional avenue for representation.
- Stacey Green (resident, Driving Park): Criticized the council for ignoring community concerns, including a homeless camp at Driving Park Recreation Center; argued that at-large representation has failed her neighborhood.
- Liz Reed (resident, District 7): Urged council to support the district-only measure and to pursue real campaign finance reform; argued that district voting would reduce the influence of big money.
- Samira Chicas (Livingston Avenue Area Commission, District 7 resident): Volunteered as a signature collector; reported widespread support for the simple fix; urged council not to block the initiative.
- Chris Orban (candidate for State Board of Education): Called for ending citywide voting, noting the high cost of at-large races; argued that district elections could bring more diverse occupational representation (e.g., teachers, technical experts).
- Heather Lauderbach (Indivisible Central Ohio leader, social worker): Supported the simple fix, recounting conversations with residents who felt unheard; highlighted the McCoy Park controversy as an example of donor-driven decisions.
- Charles Coleman (resident): Expressed ambivalence; suggested a compromise where voters could vote in their district and also have one citywide vote; encouraged mutual trust between public and council.
- Caleb Duarte (student, Ohio State, area commissioner): Supported district voting; argued that developers already pit neighborhoods against each other under the at-large system; claimed districts would reduce NIMBYism by fostering local accountability.
- Katie Shanahan (voting rights attorney): Criticized council for announcing a potential competing amendment at the start of the hearing; argued that at-large systems historically dilute minority voting power; cited Voting Rights Act jurisprudence; rejected the notion that district systems harm minority representation; urged council not to duplicate Republican-style mid-decade redistricting.
- Daniel Pintello (treasurer, R City RSA): Supported the simple fix based on conversations with hundreds of signers who expressed frustration with the current system.
- Alexandra Nagy (resident, District 3, environmental justice organizer): Shared experience from Whittier, California, where at-large voting allowed oil interests to override community opposition; urged council not to undermine the grassroots process.
- Zachary Besselman (volunteer): Provided historical context, noting that Columbus had a ward system until 1916 and that the at-large system was supported by the GOP and led to a 50-year gap without Black council representation; urged support for the initiative and additional reforms.
- Minister O'Shea (UN peace ambassador, elder): Advocated for a hybrid system with one at-large seat dedicated to underrepresented groups (people with disabilities, veterans, seniors, LGBTQ+, etc.); stressed the need for a Voting Rights Act-compliant map before implementing district voting.
- Kyle Miller (Chair, Columbus DSA): Supported the simple fix, arguing that at-large races are expensive and uncompetitive; stated that the current system incentivizes council members to be unaccountable to their own districts.
Discussion Items
- Council Opening Remarks: Council President Pro Tem Dorrans opened the hearing, acknowledging the R City RSA coalition and stating his personal support for a hybrid model (nine district seats plus up to four at-large seats). He announced his intent to ask the legislative research office to draft a concurrent charter amendment for the August 24 council vote, and emphasized that it should complement, not contradict, the coalition's proposal.
- Council President Harden: Thanked the coalition, traced the history of council reform debates, and expressed support for a hybrid system to balance neighborhood and citywide representation. He also raised the need for campaign finance reform and ballot access.
- Councilmember Bankston: Emphasized that the current system has flaws and that reform is needed; thanked the coalition for good-faith discussions; highlighted the need for maps that accurately reflect demographics and campaign finance reform.
- Councilmember Barroso de Padilla: Expressed excitement about civic engagement; noted that the hybrid proposal with added at-large seats could increase diversity on council; shared personal commitment to representing Hispanic and Latino communities.
- Councilmember DeAchauer: Described his long advocacy for district representation since 2014; supported districts for geographical and racial representation but stressed the need for at-large seats to consider the greater good.
- Staff Presentation (John Tenuse, Council Chief of Staff): Recapped the months-long discussions between council and the R City RSA coalition. He outlined pros and cons of district vs. at-large systems, presented data on current district demographics (zero majority-black districts, six plurality-white districts), and discussed potential hybrid models (9 district + up to 4 at-large). He noted that the coalition's petition has been certified and a council vote to advance it is scheduled for August 24. He also mentioned unresolved topics: recall thresholds, council vacancies, and employment status of council members.
- Coalition Presentation (Chris Tavener): Presented the R City RSA campaign, which collected over 23,000 signatures with 250 volunteers. Described the "simple fix" as changing only the voting method to true district elections. Explained that the coalition decided not to rescind their amendment despite council's compromise offer, but committed to not actively oppose a complementary amendment if it does not contradict theirs. Expressed willingness to consider endorsing a second amendment after community input.
- Further coalition testimony (Stevie Pasimonte): Emphasized that district representation is needed for neighborhood-level issues, especially in low-income Black and Brown neighborhoods; asked council to support the measure on the ballot and to make any additional amendment truly complementary.
Key Outcomes
- Council will vote on Monday, August 24, 2026 (the next council meeting) to advance the R City RSA charter amendment to the November 2026 ballot, as it has been certified.
- Council President Pro Tem Dorrans stated his intention to request a draft concurrent charter amendment from legislative research that would add up to four at-large seats (creating a hybrid 13-member council) and revise redistricting, and to seek a vote on that measure at the same August 24 meeting.
- The R City RSA coalition pledged not to actively oppose a complementary second amendment, and may formally endorse it after conducting public input hearings.
- No binding decisions were made at the hearing; the council's August 24 meeting will be the decisive action point.
Meeting Transcript
Go ahead and call and get this public hearing of the Columbus City Council to order and get us started. First, I want to thank my council colleagues, including Council President Harden, Councilmembers Bankston, Brosa De Padilla, De Achauer, Council Remy, Council Weich, and Councilman Ross, who I know will be joining us here in a few minutes. I did want to also acknowledge that uh Council is still in some recess, and I know that not all of our members are able to join us here this evening. Uh, not everyone will be able to stay for the entire hearing, most likely. But I know the topic of tonight's hearing is one that all members of this body have been engaged with uh many different constituencies in this community for months. Uh second, I want to sincerely thank representatives from the R City RSA coalition for being here with us tonight. Uh but more importantly, even while working to put this their proposal before Columbus voters, uh representative this coalition took time to engage in thoughtful and good faith dialogue with myself and many members of council on this topic uh over the course of summer. So thank you for that. Um while these discussions did not lead to a formal agreement on a charter amendment on council structure, I believe they created the space for a pathway for council to consider placing additional amendments on this fall's ballot that would complement the coalition's proposal, not oppose their proposal their proposed reforms. I've been very clear since we started this public discussion earlier in the spring that personally I believe a true council hybrid structure is one that would serve Columbus well. To be clear, a true hybrid structure to me means that some seats are real districts where voters only in those districts elect those council members, and there are other at-large seats that are voted on by all Columbus voters citywide. I believe that a true hybrid system can fully address the long-standing advocacy for district representation within this system, while also encouraging, while also ensuring that council members who view the city, the entire city as their constituency to focus on issues like housing, homelessness, public transit, infrastructure investments, and many other issues that confront our city as a whole and know no neighborhood boundary. The final framework that we discussed with representatives of the R City RSA Coalition focused on this kind of hybrid model, with keeping the nine district seats from their proposal, but potentially adding up to four at-large seats over several election cycles and making changes to the way that we drop draw those district uh map uh to account for racial representation. Tonight's staff presentation will get more into the details on this kind of proposal. And I believe that this is a good place for council to start as it deliberates on whether to move a charter amendment forward. And if so, what should be in that amendment? In the coming days, I plan to ask our legislative research office to draft such an amendment for consideration. And I will ask my colleagues to vote to send that concurrent charter amendment to the voters this fall at our next council meeting when we're back in recess on August 24th. Again, while I'm only one member of this body, I believe it's important for council to ensure that any proposal it puts forward to the voters adds to the R City RSA proposal and does not seek to preempt or contradict it. How this council's body is structured has been a community debate for decades. I don't expect every issue to be resolved here tonight or at the ballot box this fall, but I'm hopeful that we're taking a meaningful step forward to create a governance structure that's clear, durable, and most importantly, responsive to the citizens of Columbus. I want to pause and open the floor up to my council colleagues for remarks as we kick this hearing off. So with that, Council President. Thank you, uh President Tim, uh, for your leadership, not just today, but for the last several months as we've been having this uh open community conversation around who we are, who we're becoming and how we govern ourselves. I want to also thank um the members of the R City RSA coalition. Um a lot of us are friends, but I think that a lot of us be came closer over the last several weeks as we try to discuss um different points uh of governance. Uh I want to thank my colleagues who also um uh leaned in and have been really open uh through this process. Uh I want to take a minute to acknowledge how we got here. So for more than a century, Columbus City Council has been operated under a fully at-large system. Over that time, voters and community leaders debated almost a dozen proposals to move to versions of a ward system, most recently in 2016. It's been one of the most hotly debated questions in Columbus for more than a decade. In 2018, voters approved a change to our city charter to move to the system we have now. I supported that amendment because at the time it was what we had support to move forward with. City Hall and community were deadlocked between folks who wanted big changes and folks who wanted no change at all. But I always viewed it as just an interim step, not the final destination in reforming the structure of council. As Columbus grows, we talk a lot about issues like housing and transportation and zoning. But we can't address any of those issues without the foundational issues of democracy and representation and governance. The most recent council election in District 7 brought that into sharper focus. It raised a fair question about whether our current system strikes the right balance between citywide accountability and geographic representation. And now, thanks to our city's RSA coalition, Columbus voters will have an opportunity to consider that question directly. What they have achieved and what you have achieved, Columbus is a big deal. The time is right for this conversation. Columbus is growing and changing faster than at any point in its history. And that growth brings enormous opportunity. But it also raises important questions about who benefits, who gets heard, and what kind of city we want to become. What I hear more and more from residents is that the way that we've always done things is now keeping Columbus from where we need to go next. So over the past several months, led by Councilmember Dorrans and many of the uh my colleagues, we've had serious conversations with our City RSA about whether there is a way to build on their proposal. At the end of the day, Columbus has succeeded because the people of Columbus are compassionate, smart, and dope. Not just because of how our system is structured. So if people want to see change, and I do, then let's just create something that can last, that people understand, and that has legitimacy.
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