Ohio has just one statewide ballot issue, and it's a doozy

By the numbers: The ballot title for Issue 3 clocks in at 200 words, according to a new Ballotpedia study of 164 statewide measures across 40 states.

• That's more than twice the national average of 81 words.

Zoom in: Ohio already requires photo ID for in-person voting. Issue 3 would enshrine that requirement in the state constitution, making it harder to repeal.

• Republican supporters say it would strengthen election security. Democratic opponents argue existing safeguards are sufficient and warn against restricting voting rights.
• The language for Issue 3 is written at a 13th-grade reading level, per Ballotpedia, roughly the equivalent of a college freshman.

Yes, but: Ohio voters actually have it easier than those in many other states.

• The national average for ballot measure titles is a 17th-grade reading level, while Colorado's ballot question titles average a staggering 33rd-grade level.

Flashback: Ohio is no stranger to lengthy ballot titles.

• A 2024 redistricting amendment featured a whopping 940-word ballot title, the longest Ballotpedia had documented since it began tracking readability in 2017.