Former Provisions of the Constitution of the State of Ohio, 1851 Former Art. X, § 4

The legislative authority of any charter county or the board of county commissioners of any other county may by a two-thirds vote of its members, or upon petition of ten per cent of the electors of the county shall forthwith, by resolution submit to the electors of the county the question, “Shall a county charter commission be chosen?”  The question shall be voted upon at the next general or primary election, occurring not sooner than sixty days thereafter.  The ballot containing the question shall bear no party designation, and provision shall be made thereon for the election from the county at large of fifteen electors as such commission if a majority of the electors voting on the question shall have voted in the affirmative.  Candidates for such commission shall be nominated by petition of one per cent of the electors of the county, which shall be filed with the election authorities not less than forty days prior to such election.  Candidates shall be declared elected in the order of the number of votes received, beginning with the candidate receiving the largest number;  but nut more than seven candidates residing in the same city or village may be elected.  Within ten months after its election such commission shall frame a charter for the county or amendments to the existing charter, and shall submit the same to the elector of the county, to be voted upon at the next general election occurring not sooner than sixty days after such submission.  Amendments to a county charter may also be submitted to the electors of the county in the manner provided in this section for the submission of the question whether a charter commission shall be chosen, to be voted upon at the first general election occurring not sooner than sixty days after their submission.  The authority submitting any charter or amendment shall mail or otherwise distribute a copy thereof to each of the electors of the county as far as may be reasonably possible.  Except as provided in section 3 of this article, every charter or amendment shall become effective if it shall have been approved by the majority of the electors voting thereon.  It shall take effect on the thirtieth day after such approval unless another date be fixed therein.  When more than one amendment is submitted at the same time they shall be so submitted as to enable the electors to vote on each separately.  In case of conflict between the provisions of two or more amendments adopted at the same time, that provision shall prevail which received the highest affirmative vote.  The basis upon which the required number of petitioners in any case provided for in this article shall be determined, shall be the total number of votes cast in the county for the office of governor at the last preceding election therefor.

The foregoing provisions of this article shall be self-executing except as herein otherwise provided.