This article by Tom Henry appeared in The Toledo Blade on August 31st, 2018.
Two activist groups have filed separate lawsuits challenging the controversial decisions made by the Lucas County Board of Elections this past Tuesday to prevent their citizen-led initiatives from being placed on the Nov. 6 ballot.
On Thursday, Toledoans for Safe Water filed a lawsuit with the Ohio Supreme Court against the elections board for denying the group’s request to have its proposed Lake Erie Bill of Rights on the ballot.
Then, on Friday afternoon, a similar event unfolded when the other activist group, Keep the Jail in Downtown Toledo, filed a lawsuit with the state’s highest court against the elections board for denying that group’s request to have voters decide the fate of its proposal to keep the Lucas County Jail within downtown.
Both groups had more than enough signatures certified as valid. In both cases, the elections board ruled the two proposals went beyond the scope of what Toledo city law could enforce. MORE…