Taking Initiative

Ohio Ballot Protection
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Politics

Take a deep dive into the citizen ballot initiative process in Ohio — from roadblocks and challenges to what worked, and why.

  1. 11h ago

    Citizen Power and the Ohio Supreme Court | Candidate Conversation with Judge Marilyn Zayas

    Who decides whether a citizen initiative makes it onto the ballot — and what happens when that decision reaches the Ohio Supreme Court? In this Taking Initiative: Candidate Conversation, Ohio First District Court of Appeals Judge Marilyn Zayas, a candidate for the Ohio Supreme Court in 2026, joins Ohio Ballot Protection to discuss judicial independence, citizen initiatives and the balance of power between Ohioans and their government. We explore: Recent Ohio Supreme Court cases involving local data-center initiativesWhy timely court decisions matter when ballot deadlines are approachingHow Zayas views judicial independence and political pressureHer concerns about recent Supreme Court decisions and legal precedentHow court decisions affect everyday OhioansHer background in technology and intellectual property lawWhat she says should guide a justice when a ballot initiative raises questions about the lawZayas also shares the personal experiences and family values that shaped her path to the judiciary. Why does this matter? Because citizen initiatives can reach the Ohio Supreme Court before voters ever have a chance to decide them. Candidate Conversations is a voter-education series from Ohio Ballot Protection. We ask candidates about citizen participation, direct democracy and the balance of power between voters and elected officials. These interviews do not constitute an endorsement by Ohio Ballot Protection. 🎙️ Taking Initiative is a podcast from Ohio Ballot Protection about the people putting the power of direct democracy into action. Learn more about Ohio’s initiative and referendum powers: https://ohioballotprotection.com/  Taking Initiative Podcast:    / @ohioballotprotection  Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: 9DGFHXMNDX6YJFND

  2. Oct 23

    When Neighbors Organize: Barry Blankenship Shares Trenton's Issue 17 Story (S2 Ep7)

    What happens when ordinary citizens challenge City Hall — and their fight reaches the Ohio Supreme Court? In Trenton, Ohio, Barry Blankenship says he first learned about a proposed data center almost by accident. What followed was months of organizing, neighborhood conversations, petition signatures, a legal dispute and a unanimous Ohio Supreme Court decision that cleared the way for Issue 17 to appear on the November 3 ballot. In this episode of Taking Initiative, Barry shares how he and his wife helped organize Woodsdale and Trenton Environmental Resistance, what they learned about listening to neighbors, and the challenges they encountered while working to place a citizen initiative before voters. Recorded Oct. 22, 2026. We discuss: How the Trenton organizing effort beganCollecting 464 petition signaturesThe dispute over signature requirements that reached the Ohio Supreme CourtWhat organizers say Issue 17 would doTensions between residents, city officials and outside interestsWhy Barry says their community involvement will continue regardless of the election outcomeHis biggest lesson? Ordinary people gain power when they work together. 🎙️ Taking Initiative is a podcast from Ohio Ballot Protection about the people putting the power of direct democracy into action. Learn more about Ohio’s initiative and referendum powers: https://ohioballotprotection.com/  Taking Initiative Podcast:    / @ohioballotprotection  Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: 36SSQSCSLQ4UUJGF, RNSRCNQAPVPWTLHD

  3. Oct 7

    Candidate Conversation with Justice Jennifer Brunner | Ohio Supreme Court 2026

    What role should the Ohio Supreme Court play when citizen initiatives, ballot language and the powers voters have reserved for themselves end up in court? In this Taking Initiative: Candidate Conversation, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner, a candidate for reelection in 2026, joins Ohio Ballot Protection to discuss direct democracy, judicial independence and the relationship between citizens, lawmakers and the courts. Brunner draws on her experience as an Ohio Supreme Court justice, appellate and trial court judge, former Ohio Secretary of State and former chair of the Ohio Ballot Board. We ask about: • Why she considers initiative and referendum powers reserved to the people • What happens when citizen initiatives reach the Ohio Supreme Court • Recent data-center initiative cases • The importance of ballot language • What dissenting opinions accomplish • Partisan labels in judicial elections • The difference between initiatives, referenda and initiated legislation • The role of the rule of law in maintaining public trust Candidate Conversations is a special voter-education series from Ohio Ballot Protection. We talk with candidates for public office about citizen participation, direct democracy and the balance of power between voters and their elected representatives. These conversations do not constitute an endorsement by Ohio Ballot Protection. Learn more about Ohio’s initiative and referendum powers: https://ohioballotprotection.com/  Taking Initiative Podcast:    / @ohioballotprotection  Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: 9QDFKWIT23ATMACP

  4. Oct 1

    Spotlight: Another trip to the Statehouse

    What happens when citizens ask lawmakers to pause mega data center development—and hear “absolutely not”? In this Taking Initiative Spotlight, Conserve Ohio’s Nikki Gerber joins Ohio Ballot Protection’s Laura Lucarelli to recount her September 30 Statehouse visit, efforts to secure a moratorium, and frustration over being sent between local and state officials. It’s a candid look at the obstacles citizen organizers face when seeking protections for their communities. 🎙️ Spotlight on an Initiative (Ban Mega Data Centers OH Initiative | Ohio Ballot Protection) follows citizen-led efforts through the process: the progress, the setbacks and what organizers learn along the way. Learn more about Ohio’s initiative and referendum powers: https://ohioballotprotection.com/  Taking Initiative Podcast:    / @ohioballotprotection

  5. Sep 29

    The Power Is Ours: How Ohio Won Direct Democracy | Mike Curtin (S2 Ep4)

    How did Ohioans gain the power to bypass their elected representatives and take issues directly to the ballot? Journalist, former state legislator and Ohio historian Mike Curtin joins Taking Initiative to take us back to 1912 — a pivotal year when Ohio embraced the initiative and referendum and gave citizens powerful tools to check their government. Curtin brings a rare perspective to the conversation. After 38 years in journalism covering government and politics, he crossed from the press gallery into the Ohio Statehouse as a legislator. Now he writes and speaks about Ohio history, public policy and the continuing importance of an informed citizenry. We explore Teddy Roosevelt's role in Ohio's direct-democracy story, the “Fourth Estate,” the balance between representative and direct democracy, the importance of civics education — and why Curtin believes democracy is always a work in progress. 🎙️ Taking Initiative is a podcast from Ohio Ballot Protection about the people putting the power of direct democracy into action. Learn more about Ohio’s initiative and referendum powers: https://ohioballotprotection.com/  Taking Initiative Podcast:    / @ohioballotprotection  Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: 36SSQSCSLQ4UUJGF, RNSRCNQAPVPWTLHD

  6. Sep 24

    Spotlight: When Citizens Don’t Wait... Conserve Ohio’s Next Move

    What happens when a statewide citizen initiative becomes something much bigger? In this Taking Initiative: Spotlight on an Initiative, we catch up with Conserve Ohio attorneys Nick Owens and Austin Baurichter as their effort to restrict large data centers moves forward on multiple fronts. Since our last conversation, ten local charter amendments have qualified for the November ballot, another is headed to a January special election, legal challenges have reached the Ohio Supreme Court, and organizers are now calling on the Ohio General Assembly to enact a 12-month moratorium on new data center development. Nick and Austin take us behind the scenes of the legal victories and setbacks, explain why communities are pursuing different approaches, and share what they're learning about Ohio's extraordinary tools of local direct democracy - while the world is watching us. Most importantly, this is a story about what happens when ordinary Ohioans discover the legal tools available to them — and start using them. 🎙️ Spotlight on an Initiative (Ban Mega Data Centers OH Initiative | Ohio Ballot Protection) follows citizen-led efforts through the process: the progress, the setbacks and what organizers learn along the way. Learn more about Ohio’s initiative and referendum powers: https://ohioballotprotection.com/  Taking Initiative Podcast:    / @ohioballotprotection  Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: FMQNKC8190SJTODY

  7. Sep 15

    Neighbor by Neighbor: How People Build Power | Rev. Ray Greene, Freedom BLOC (S2 Ep2)

    How does an everyday concern become a ballot initiative — and ultimately, a law? Rev. Ray Greene of Freedom BLOC joins Taking Initiative to share a remarkably straightforward organizing philosophy: listen to people, build relationships and start local. Greene takes us inside Freedom BLOC's work in Akron, where community conversations have helped shape citizen-led ballot initiatives addressing housing and public safety. But for Greene, winning at the ballot box isn't the only goal. The initiative process is also a way to help people discover their own power, develop new leaders and build stronger communities. His message: lasting change happens neighbor by neighbor — because organizing moves at the speed of trust. Learn more about The Freedom BLOC: Home | thefreedombloc Learn more about Ohio’s initiative and referendum powers: https://ohioballotprotection.com/  Taking Initiative Podcast:    / @ohioballotprotection  Code: Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: YOBJSSHXRUH3GHVM

  8. Sep 8

    When the People Push Back: Chris Melody Fields Figueredo (S2 Ep1)

    What happens when people use direct democracy to challenge power — and power pushes back? Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, Executive Director of the BISC (http://www.ballot.org), joins Taking Initiative to explore the national landscape of citizen-led ballot measures and the growing fight to protect them. Chris takes us from Missouri’s recent defense of majority rule to Ohio’s unique role as a national testing ground for direct democracy. Along the way, she explains why citizen initiatives are about much more than winning an election: they give ordinary people the power and agency to shape their communities, challenge government and turn ideas into change. Because democracy is about more than casting a vote. It’s about what we do with the power we have. Learn more about Ohio’s initiative and referendum powers: https://ohioballotprotection.com/  Taking Initiative Podcast:    / @ohioballotprotection  Code: Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: AUZDBGMCY2DSUWY8

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About

Take a deep dive into the citizen ballot initiative process in Ohio — from roadblocks and challenges to what worked, and why.

Information

  • Creator
    Ohio Ballot Protection
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ohio Ballot Protection
  • Show Website
    Taking Initiative