Ohio voters, including 7,134 in Athens County, have submitted the necessary valid signatures to push a citizen’s vote on Senate Bill 5, completing a petition process that began in April of this year.
Since April, 915,456 valid signatures have been collected, with sufficient totals from each of Ohio’s 88 counties, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
That total is nearly four times the amount necessary to push a repeal vote on the bill.
At least 231,149 valid registered-voter signatures were needed, said Nate Hall, president of the Ohio University College Democrats, in an April interview. Valid signatures had to come from registered voters in their home counties, he added.
While 1,320,417 total signatures were gathered, many did not count due to improperly collected signatures or improperly submitted petitions.
Gov. John Kasich signed SB5 into law March 31, limiting collective bargaining rights for 360,000 public employees across the state.
After Senate Bill 5 was signed into law, many unions and interest groups sought to put the law to a citizen’s vote in the November elections.
Both the Ohio Council 8 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Ohio University College Democrats held petition-signing events in Athens County when the petition first surfaced.
