As Introduced

136th General Assembly

Regular Session H. C. R. No. 19

2025-2026

Representative Fischer

A c o n c u r r e n t R E S O L U T I O N

To call upon the members of Ohio's congressional delegation to uphold the principles of federalism regarding the authority of states to govern electoral processes.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF OHIO (THE SENATE CONCURRING):

WHEREAS, Ohio Constitution Article I, Section 2, recognizes that "All political power is inherent in the people"; and

WHEREAS, The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution affirms that any powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states or the people, reinforcing the principle of federalism; and

WHEREAS, The states have long served as laboratories of democracy, uniquely positioned to establish election laws and policies that reflect the needs and interests of their citizens; and

WHEREAS, A robust system of state-led election governance strengthens self-government, promotes accountability, and preserves the integrity of the electoral process by ensuring that the people of each state determine how best to protect their representation and participation in democratic processes; and

WHEREAS, The Framers of the United States Constitution recognized the role of the states in structuring election laws and mechanisms, understanding that a one-size-fits-all federal approach is neither necessary nor desirable; and

WHEREAS, The people of Ohio and other states have a vested interest in ensuring that their electoral processes remain responsive to their needs and are free from disproportionate influence by foreign entities or individuals that may not reflect the priorities of the electorate; and

WHEREAS, The principle of self-governance requires that states retain the ability to establish laws governing the influence of money in elections, consistent with their unique circumstances and policy considerations; and

WHEREAS, The constitutional amendment process provides an avenue for reaffirming the role of the states in overseeing elections and ensuring that their authority in this realm is preserved; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of Ohio, call upon the seventeen members representing Ohio in the United States Congress to uphold the principles of federalism and to be proponents of appropriate action, including, if necessary, a constitutional amendment that affirms the authority of states to govern their election processes and establishes the ability of the states to enact policies regarding campaign finance and election influence, in a manner consistent with established constitutional principles; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives transmit duly authenticated copies of this resolution to the members of the Ohio Congressional delegation, and the news media of Ohio.