Speak At Council

All speakers must adhere to the following rules.

Please Note: Per the rules stated below, the form is only visible on Mondays (the day of the Council meeting for which you are requesting to speak) from 12:01 a.m. until 3 p.m. After submission, you will receive a confirmation email that you have been registered and a follow up email later with instructions.

111.12 - Speaking Before Council

1. The following rules shall apply to the general public when they wish to speak before council at a scheduled council meeting:
   1. Speakers slips must be filled out completely including name, address, organization represented and the ordinance number of the item to be addressed, if the individual will be speaking for or against the item, the subject if non-agenda and filed with the city clerk electronically via the Council website prior to 3:00 pm on the day the speaker wishes to speak before the council. The council encourages individuals to submit written testimony to the city clerk, on a form provided by the clerk, electronically via the Council website prior to 3 p.m. on the day of the meeting and/or contact the appropriate committee chairperson to discuss their concerns. The council will not entertain incomplete speaker slips.
   2. For regular business meetings, individuals are permitted to submit a total of two (2) speaker slips. Of the two (2) slips, one may be used to address a non-agenda matter.
      1. For agenda items that are not council variances speakers must only speak to the ordinance indicated on the speaker slip submitted to the clerk. Council will entertain three (3) speakers for and three (3) speakers against any ordinance, recognizing speakers in the order the slips are received by the clerk. Each speaker will be given three (3) minutes to speak.
      2. For non-agenda items there will be a limit of six (6) speakers taken in order of receipt of speaker slips with no more than three (3) speakers on any subject. Each speaker will be given three (3) minutes to speak. If the subject does not concern the legislative or administrative responsibilities of city government, the president of council may refer the speaker to another public forum and/or deny the request.
2. Notwithstanding the provisions in division (A), the following rules shall apply to parties who wish to testify at a hearing before the Council zoning committee on a Council Variance during a regular meeting:
   1. Owners of record of property within one-hundred and twenty-five (125) feet of the exterior boundaries of the property identified in the title of the ordinance whose property may be directly impacted by an application before Council on a request for a Council Variance who wish to testify before the Council zoning committee either for or against the request for a variance shall fill out a speaker slip on a form provided by the City Clerk. Speaker slips on Council Variance hearings must be filled out completely including name, address, the ordinance number of the item to be addressed, if the individual will be speaking for or against the item, and a written indication of how the property owner may be an impacted party. The slip shall be filed with the city clerk electronically via the Council website prior to 3 p.m. on the day the impacted party wishes to testify before the council.
   2. Those testifying before the Council zoning committee on a Council Variance will not engage in the use of obscenity, defamation or slander nor shall those testifying conduct themselves in violation of the disorderly conduct or disturbing a lawful meeting provisions of Chapter 2317 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959. If the zoning committee chair determines that these rules are not being followed one warning will be given. The party’s conduct shall be subject to the right of the zoning committee chair to preserve the order and decorum of the forum. If the rules continue to be violated after one warning, the zoning committee chair may revoke the individual's speaking privileges before the zoning committee.
   3. Impacted parties testifying on a Council variance shall be afforded sufficient time to present their case to the body. The Chair of the Zoning Committee may, at their discretion, request the speaker to conclude their comments after the speaker has been given the opportunity to address Council regarding the variance. If the impacted party does not conclude their remarks after the request of the Chair to do so, and the speaker is not providing new evidence to the Council regarding the variance, the Chair may revoke the individuals’ speaking privileges before the Zoning Committee on the variance at issue.
   4. Speaker slips shall be presented to the zoning committee chair by the city clerk in the order received.
   5. Any variance or waiver of these rules shall be by a majority vote of the zoning committee.

1. Speakers' subject matter will not contain obscenity, defamation or slander nor shall speakers conduct themselves in violation of the disorderly conduct or disturbing a lawful meeting provisions of Chapter 2317 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959. If the council president determines that these rules are not being followed one warning will be given. Speaker's conduct shall be subject to the right of the council president to preserve the order and decorum of the forum. If the rules continue to be violated after one warning, the council president may revoke the individual's speaking privileges.
2. Speaker slips shall be presented to the president of council by the city clerk in the order received.
3. Any variance or waiver of these rules shall be by a majority vote of council.

It is the policy of Columbus City Council that speaker slips must be submitted electronically via the Council website by the individual wishing to speak on the day of the meeting (Monday) no later than 3 p.m.

Note: Speakers addressing City Council regarding legislation must direct their comments solely to the subject matter addressed in the legislation indicated on the speaker slip. Failure to do so will result in a warning from the Council President to return to the subject matter of the legislation. At the President’s discretion, a speaker may be excused from the podium or chambers for failure to comply with the President's warning or for repeated noncompliance with this requirement. 

*Signs and banners are not permitted in Council Chambers. This prohibition does not apply to charts, diagrams, enlarged photographs or other demonstrative exhibits or visual media utilized by a speaker in presenting testimony to Council, subject to the provisions of Section 111.12.

**Please Note: Speaker Rules at Committee Meetings and Public Hearings are subject to the preference of the Committee Chair. 

Members of the general public seeking to testify during the regular City Council meeting have the following options:

• In accordance with public meeting access provisions, residents may attend the meeting in person at City Hall.
• All persons wishing to speak during a Council meeting in person or via WebEx must submit a speaker slip electronically on the day of the meeting (Monday) between 12:01 a.m. and 3 p.m. via the Council website at: Request to Speak at a Council Meeting Online.
• If speaking via WebEx, the Clerk will forward the WebEx meeting information via email allowing those persons to attend the meeting electronically. Those planning to testify at a regular Council meeting must join the WebEx meeting no later than 5 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

All impacted parties planning to present testimony on a Council variance in the Zoning Committee meeting must do so in person and submit a speaker slip electronically on the day of the meeting (Monday) between 12:01 a.m. and 3 p.m. via the Council website at: Request to Speak at a Council Meeting Online. Individuals are required to be sworn in prior to giving testimony. In order to accommodate this, impacted parties will be required to attend the meeting in person and arrive no later than 6:30 p.m.

Members of the general public seeking to testify on re-zonings have the same options shown above for the regular City Council meeting.

(Please note that Council cannot accept written testimony related to Council Variances on the Zoning Committee 6:30 p.m. agenda)
Any person seeking to submit written testimony in favor of or in opposition to an ordinance are to submit their testimony in writing to the City Clerk no later than 3 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Testimony may be submitted via the Council website at Written Testimony Submission. (Attachments are not to be included)

Written Testimony can also be mailed in advance to Columbus City Council, Attn: City Clerk Speaker Testimony, 90 West Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio, 43215 and it must be received via US Mail prior to 3 p.m. on the day of the Council meeting in order for it to be considered part of the official record. Please include your contact information (email preferably) and the ordinance/resolution number that you wish to address, whether you are for or against the legislation, and for which Council meeting. (Attachments are not accepted)

Interested persons are also encouraged to reach out to Councilmember offices by phone in advance of council meetings to share any concerns or support. Contact information for individual Councilmember offices can be found at Contact City Council.

**Please note the Rules for Speaking before City Council posted on the speaker slip.