EMPOWERING BLACK OHIO. DRIVING EQUITABLE CHANGE.

Your Response is Crucial: Take the State of Black Ohio Survey

We are actively collecting responses for the State of Black Ohio: Voter's Voice Survey and are willing to travel to community events and gatherings to help residents complete the survey.

The State of Black Ohio Survey is how we turn lived experiences into meaningful policy change. When lawmakers ask, “What do Black Ohioans need?” we answer with your data, your voice, and your priorities. Just five minutes of your time can help shape a living policy agenda placed directly on desks at the Statehouse.

Have an upcoming event or community gathering? Partner with us by emailing office@olbcfoundation.org. Take the survey. Share it with three people. That’s how we build power together!

Complete the Survey

Watch Civic AF (All Facts)

Pictured above: show host Lucy May; President Davis; Vada Stephens, President, Southwest Young Black Democrats; Ozie Davis, Black Politico; and Cameron Hawkins, OLBCF Cincinnati Intern.

The State of Black Civic Power in Ohio is reaching households across the state and bringing new voices into the conversation.

President Shayla L. Davis first took the report to WOSU 89.7 NPR News in Columbus, and its reach has continued to grow. Jo Ingles carried the story statewide through the Statehouse News Bureau and Ohio Public Radio and Television stations, while Gongwer News Service covered the report’s findings. President Davis has also joined Curtis Jackson at Spectrum News 1, Corey McCrae at 21 WFMJ News in Youngstown, Lucy May on Cincinnati Edition, the Lincoln Ware Show on WDBZ 1230 The Buzz, and Kenn Dowell on the SMN Radio Show at WOVU 95.9 FM in Cleveland. This week, she joins WNZN Power 89.1 FM in Lorain, with more appearances already scheduled.

OLBCF intern Cameron Hawkins joined President Davis for the Cincinnati Edition conversation about engaging young Black voters. Hawkins shared perspectives on the experiences and priorities of young voters, as well as ways to increase civic participation during midterm elections and in the years between presidential elections.

“I was honored to share perspectives on the experiences and priorities of young Black voters and discuss ways to increase civic engagement. I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such an important conversation and thankful to President Shayla L. Davis for inviting me to represent the Foundation alongside her. Experiences like this continue to strengthen my passion for public service.” - Cameron Hawkins

The urgency behind these conversations is clear: 603,000 eligible Black Ohioans did not vote in the last midterm election. That is more than enough voters to influence school boards, judgeships, statewide offices and the balance of power in the Ohio General Assembly.

That number is not a verdict. It is an invitation to act. The report pairs the data with a plan through Civic AF episodes that make Ohio government easier to understand, the 603K Strong pledge encouraging Ohioans to vote in November, and the Voter’s Voice Survey that turns lived experiences into a policy agenda for the Statehouse.

This coverage is bigger than headlines. It shows that when Black Ohio speaks with data, purpose and collective power, the state listens.

Stay connected through OLBCF’s new Linktr.ee to read the full report, watch every Civic AF episode, follow upcoming interviews and explore more of the Foundation’s work.

DeWine Blocks One Voter ID Restriction. Now Ohio Voters Face Another at the Ballot Box.

On June 24, Governor DeWine vetoed House Bill 472, a bill that would have forced more than one million Ohioans who vote by mail to submit a copy of their photo ID just to have their ballot counted. It began as a bipartisan effort to waive IopD fees for unhoused Ohioans. In the final hours, it was rewritten into a vote-by-mail restriction. The Governor said it plainly: all burden, no real security.

The fight is not over. Those same Statehouse Lawmakers are already organizing to override the veto. And lawmakers have placed Senate Joint Resolution 10 (SJR10) on your November Issue 3 Ballot, a constitutional amendment that would lock photo ID requirements into the Ohio Constitution permanently, even though voter ID is already state law. Our seniors, voters without reliable transportation, and absentee voters have the most to lose.

OLBCF is tracking the override effort and will break down the amendment's ballot language before early voting begins.

"Voter ID is already the law in Ohio. So we must ask ourselves why they need to write it into the constitution too. When lawmakers pass the same restriction twice, it is not about security. It is about who they hope stays home." – President Davis

Ohio Just Shut the Door on Ranked-Choice Voting

Ohio communities have officially lost the option to adopt ranked-choice voting. Senate Bill 63 has officially gone into effect on June 16, 2026.

The law requires voters to continue selecting only one candidate instead of ranking candidates in order of preference. It also allows Ohio to withhold certain Local Government Fund payments from cities or charter counties that attempt to use ranked-choice voting. Although the legislation received some bipartisan support, it was largely backed by Republicans, with only two House Democrats voting for it.

For Black Ohioans, this debate is bigger than how ballots are counted. Ranked-choice voting could give Black candidates and other underrepresented voices more room to compete without being dismissed as “spoilers” or pressured to leave crowded races. Supporters of the ban argue that ranked-choice voting is confusing and difficult to administer. Opponents argue that SB 63 limits local control and prevents communities from exploring a system that could encourage broader participation and representation. Read the official summary at legislature.ohio.gov

We must encourage our family, friends, and neighbors to register to vote, check their registration status, and make a plan to get to the polls. One warning as you do: on July 7, the Secretary of State flagged confusing and misleading voter registration mailings arriving in mailboxes across Ohio. If one lands at your door, do not guess. Go directly to VoteOhio.gov to confirm your registration and polling location, then help three people do the same. When we show up informed, organized, and united, our voices have the power to shape the future of Ohio.

Review the Black Papers

The Ohio Leadership Party returns to Washington, D.C. on September 19, 2026, during CBCF Annual Legislative Conference Week. Hosted by the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus Foundation in partnership with Vestige Strategies and Taft, this signature celebration brings together members of Congress, state leaders, and civic, corporate, philanthropic, and cultural leaders to honor Black political leadership and strengthen the next generation of changemakers.

Sponsorship opportunities range from $1,000 to $25,000 and offer valuable brand visibility, event recognition, and access to influential leaders from Ohio and across the country. Review the sponsorship packet and reserve your sponsorship today to help us celebrate Black leadership, expand our impact, and continue building Black political power.

Sponsorship Packet

603,000 Reasons

to Give

The last midterm, 603,000 eligible Black Ohioans stayed home. We built Civic AF, the Voter's Voice Survey, and the State of Black Ohio Report to change that number.

Your gift turns a plan into presence at the Statehouse. Help us raise $60,300 before early voting begins, one dollar for every ten voters we are working to bring back to the polls.

$25 keeps Civic AF episodes free and shareable
$50 sends a survey team to one more community event
$100 puts the State of Black Ohio report in front of another lawmaker
$250 funds a voter-education session in a neighborhood that needs it
$603 makes you a 603k Strong Founding Donor

Give by September 30. Join 603k Strong

DONATE