Ohio Bill Could Lower Referendum Threshold | Cleveland News

Ohio lawmakers are racing against time to pass a bill that could revolutionize how citizens challenge local decisions—Representative Ty Mathews is pushing House Bill 985, which would slash the signature threshold for referendums from 35% to 20%, making it easier for residents to demand public votes on issues like housing developments and data centers. Inspired by a failed referendum in his hometown Findlay, Mathews argues the current requirement is too high and undermines civic participation. While he’s not going back to the old 10% standard, he sees 20% as a practical middle ground that still holds accountability. With the legislative session ending in December, Mathews is exploring attaching the bill to other legislation—or bringing it back next year—if it doesn’t pass this time. Advocates agree: empowering communities through direct democracy is vital for responsive local governance. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/ce75a1fbbf419db9