Speak At Council

How to Testify Before Council, Revised May 2022

Policy regarding Speaking/Testifying at City Council Meetings or Providing Written Testimony (if applicable).

Speaking During Regular Council Meeting

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.

Speaking/Sworn Testimony During Zoning Committee Meeting of City Council

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.

Submitting Written Testimony in Lieu of Speaking at a 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)

Other Ways to Contact City Councilmembers

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.