Columbus Voters Overwhelmingly Approve Alternative Crisis Response Program, Issue 5 Sails to Victory

Columbus – Tonight, Columbus residents voted overwhelmingly in support of The Community Crisis Response Amendment to ensure the creation of an alternative crisis response system to meet the health and safety needs of community members experiencing behavioral health, homelessness, and other crises. IIssue 5 enjoyed broad support from multitudes, from government leaders, to social workers, from academics, doctors, and impacted families, from law enforcement groups, to the ACLU.

For over half a decade, the Columbus Safety Collective has been organizing around this issue and formalized the Columbus Safety Collective Campaign in early 2025 to place a proactive measure on the May 2026 municipal ballot. The Campaign collected nearly 30,000 signatures – elevating the importance of alternative crisis response to city leaders — and ultimately reached a historic agreement with Columbus City Council and Mayor’s Office to put forward a collaborative charter amendment with a unified vision for the city.

Specifically, Issue 5 will:

• Create a community crisis response system that is fully integrated into the City’s 911 response system;
• Enable non-police community crisis response workers (including trained social workers, behavioral health professionals, peer supporters, and EMTs) to meet the needs of community members experiencing behavioral health, homelessness, and other crises; and
• Establish a community advisory board that will work with City officials to develop, implement, sustain, and evaluate the entire crisis response system.

“The people of Columbus have spoken – we are ready to reimagine public safety and prioritize appropriate care for our neighbors in need. This campaign has always been a community-driven, grassroots effort and today we saw voters take action, use their power, and engage with the democratic process to get Issue 5 over the finish line. This incredible outcome proves that committed community members working toward a shared goal can spearhead meaningful policy change. Alternative crisis response programs are common-sense, popular, and grounded in research. We look forward to continued partnership with city leaders as we work on implementation over the coming months. Our campaign and extended network of partners and volunteers are so grateful that Columbus will finally join the growing list of cities working to reduce the over-reliance on law enforcement and ensure that all residents feel safe when asking for help,” added Chana Wiley, co-chair of the Columbus Safety Collective Campaign.

“Tonight’s approval of Issue 5 reflects Columbus residents’ commitment to ensuring people in crisis receive the right response at the right time, building on five years of progress that has made our city a leader in alternative crisis response and helped thousands of residents access care,” said Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. “This vote shows that our community is ready to build on that progress and go further, faster, and makes clear that when someone calls 9-1-1 in their darkest moment, compassionate, appropriate help will be on the way. I’m grateful to voters for helping move this work forward.”

The Columbus Safety Collective Campaign was founded by the ACLU of Ohio, Ohio Families Unite for Political Action and Change (OFUPAC), and Ohio Voice with a wide-range of partner endorsements. Leading up to Election Day, volunteers with the field team led by leaders at OFUPAC, knocked on 6,100 doors, sent 9,500 hand-written postcards, and coordinated nearly 25,000 phone calls during the early vote period. The Campaign enjoyed strategic leadership and direct financial support from the ACLU, the ACLU of Ohio, Ohio Voice, State Voices and others.