<![CDATA[Taking Initiative]]>Take a deep dive into the citizen ballot initiative process in Ohio — from roadblocks and challenges to what worked, and why.

]]>https://ohioballotprotection.com/Riverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Thu, 28 May 2026 01:16:30 GMTSun, 08 Feb 2026 19:08:42 GMT60Ohio Ballot Protection<p>Take a deep dive into the citizen ballot initiative process in Ohio — from roadblocks and challenges to what worked, and why.</p>episodicOhio Ballot Protectionaccounts@ohioballotprotection.comno<![CDATA[Inside a split initiative: The path forward - Ohio’s Equal Rights and Marriage Equality initiatives]]>In this episode, we sit down with Lis Regula, co-chair of the Ohio Equal Rights ballot initiative effort, to talk about how the group is moving forward after the Ohio Ballot Board split their initiative into two separate issues: equal rights and marriage equality. He shares why the group decided to move forward with both initiatives at once, and what’s surprising him about the signature-gathering process so far.

]]>d8994277-c76a-4f5c-9ec5-6c2e257f3deeTue, 26 May 2026 03:01:12 GMT<p>In this episode, we sit down with Lis Regula, co-chair of the Ohio Equal Rights ballot initiative effort, to talk about how the group is moving forward after the Ohio Ballot Board split their initiative into two separate issues: equal rights and marriage equality. He shares why the group decided to move forward with both initiatives at once, and what’s surprising him about the signature-gathering process so far.</p>no00:29:18Inside a split initiative: The path forward - Ohio’s Equal Rights and Marriage Equality initiativesfull<![CDATA[How Signature Gathering Really Works: Ballot Initiative 101]]>To make the ballot, a citizen initiative or referendum requires hundreds of thousands of signatures statewide. But the challenges go beyond the sheer number of signatures required. In this episode, we take a deep dive into the signature-gathering process with Richard Margolius, who shares lessons learned and roadblocks to watch for based on his experience with signature collection across several recent Ohio ballot initiative campaigns.

]]>bbb152a3-70cf-4f21-89f9-559d73e01216Mon, 11 May 2026 01:22:07 GMT<p>To make the ballot, a citizen initiative or referendum requires hundreds of thousands of signatures statewide. But the challenges go beyond the sheer number of signatures required. In this episode, we take a deep dive into the signature-gathering process with Richard Margolius, who shares lessons learned and roadblocks to watch for based on his experience with signature collection across several recent Ohio ballot initiative campaigns. </p>no00:36:47How Signature Gathering Really Works: Ballot Initiative 101full<![CDATA[Onsite at the Libertarian Party of Ohio's Convention: Views on Direct Democracy]]>In this episode, Ohio Ballot Protection checks in with attendees of the Libertarian Party of Ohio's Convention in Dayton last week to hear their views on ballot initiatives and direct democracy.

]]>e8cde929-520a-45a2-8d96-d0a8777441e4Wed, 29 Apr 2026 03:20:51 GMT<p>In this episode, Ohio Ballot Protection checks in with attendees of the Libertarian Party of Ohio's Convention in Dayton last week to hear their views on ballot initiatives and direct democracy.</p>no00:15:07Onsite at the Libertarian Party of Ohio's Convention: Views on Direct Democracyfull<![CDATA[Meet Ohio's Secretary of State Candidates: Tom Pruss (Libertarian Party)]]>In this episode, we sit down with Ohio Secretary of State Candidate Tom Pruss (Libertarian Party) to hear his views on direct democracy and the citizen-led ballot initiative process.

Note: Ohio Ballot Protection does not endorse political candidates.

]]>20332461-5795-474a-890a-bb82c13e7009Sat, 18 Apr 2026 20:32:30 GMT<p>In this episode, we sit down with Ohio Secretary of State Candidate Tom Pruss (Libertarian Party) to hear his views on direct democracy and the citizen-led ballot initiative process.</p><p></p><p>Note: Ohio Ballot Protection does not endorse political candidates.</p>no00:26:55Meet Ohio's Secretary of State Candidates: Tom Pruss (Libertarian Party)full<![CDATA[Meet Ohio's Attorney General Candidates: John Kulewicz (Democratic Party)]]>In this episode, we sit down with Ohio Attorney General Candidate John Kulewicz (Democratic Party) to hear his views on direct democracy and the citizen-led ballot initiative process.

Note: Ohio Ballot Protection does not endorse political candidates.

]]>1bff1c5a-3fc1-4974-aefc-f4612a86ee55Sat, 18 Apr 2026 02:34:53 GMT<p>In this episode, we sit down with Ohio Attorney General Candidate John Kulewicz (Democratic Party) to hear his views on direct democracy and the citizen-led ballot initiative process.</p><p></p><p>Note: Ohio Ballot Protection does not endorse political candidates.</p>no00:17:12Meet Ohio's Attorney General Candidates: John Kulewicz (Democratic Party)full<![CDATA[Meet Ohio's Attorney General Candidates: Elliot Forhan (Democratic Party)]]>In this episode, we sit down with Ohio Attorney General Candidate Elliot Forhan (Democratic Party) to hear his views on direct democracy and the citizen-led ballot initiative process.

Note: Ohio Ballot Protection does not endorse political candidates.

]]>0af4058e-0e21-4b48-a8d6-3610c96de9dbSat, 18 Apr 2026 01:30:37 GMT<p>In this episode, we sit down with Ohio Attorney General Candidate Elliot Forhan (Democratic Party) to hear his views on direct democracy and the citizen-led ballot initiative process.</p><p></p><p>Note: Ohio Ballot Protection does not endorse political candidates.</p>no00:21:30Meet Ohio's Attorney General Candidates: Elliot Forhan (Democratic Party)full<![CDATA[Meet Ohio's Secretary of State Candidates: Allison Russo (Democratic Party)]]>In this episode, we sit down with Ohio Secretary of State Candidate Allison Russo (Democratic Party) to hear her views on direct democracy and the citizen-led ballot initiative process.

Note: Ohio Ballot Protection does not endorse political candidates.

]]>daf96465-1fdb-43ed-ab23-c031a0431d77Thu, 16 Apr 2026 02:23:13 GMT<p>In this episode, we sit down with Ohio Secretary of State Candidate Allison Russo (Democratic Party) to hear her views on direct democracy and the citizen-led ballot initiative process.</p><p></p><p>Note: Ohio Ballot Protection does not endorse political candidates.</p>no00:34:31Meet Ohio's Secretary of State Candidates: Allison Russo (Democratic Party)full<![CDATA[Meet Ohio's Secretary of State Candidates: Marcell Strbich (Republican Party) ]]>In this episode, we sit down with Ohio Secretary of State Candidate Marcell Strbich (Republican Party) to hear his views on direct democracy and the citizen-led ballot initiative process.

Note: Ohio Ballot Protection does not endorse political candidates.

]]>3e4b8aff-306c-4233-b5ed-26b84bb560afSat, 04 Apr 2026 11:13:38 GMT<p>In this episode, we sit down with Ohio Secretary of State Candidate Marcell Strbich (Republican Party) to hear his views on direct democracy and the citizen-led ballot initiative process.</p><p></p><p>Note: Ohio Ballot Protection does not endorse political candidates.</p>no00:37:40Meet Ohio's Secretary of State Candidates: Marcell Strbich (Republican Party) full<![CDATA[Meet Ohio's Secretary of State Candidates: Bryan Hambley (Democratic Party) ]]>In this episode, we sit down with Ohio Secretary of State Candidate Bryan Hambley (Democratic Party) to hear his views on direct democracy and the citizen-led ballot initiative process.

Note: Ohio Ballot Protection does not endorse political candidates.

]]>4012db2c-bf68-4d98-92e1-e81c42eb79a8Sat, 04 Apr 2026 11:11:30 GMT<p>In this episode, we sit down with Ohio Secretary of State Candidate Bryan Hambley (Democratic Party) to hear his views on direct democracy and the citizen-led ballot initiative process. </p><p></p><p>Note: Ohio Ballot Protection does not endorse political candidates.</p>no00:30:19Meet Ohio's Secretary of State Candidates: Bryan Hambley (Democratic Party) full<![CDATA[Meet Ohio’s latest ballot initiative proposal: banning mega data centers]]>We sit down with Emily Harper and Danielle Kinhalt, members of a group called Adams County for Responsible Development, which has just submitted its petition and initial 1,000 required signatures for a proposal that would ask Ohioans to vote on capping the energy new data centers can draw from the power grid. We hear about their tactics for gathering signatures in rural Ohio and what’s next in the process to get their initiative on the ballot.

]]>dd2c80a8-4fa7-4eb3-a4f7-0db4428acfb3Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:59:36 GMT<p>We sit down with Emily Harper and Danielle Kinhalt, members of a group called Adams County for Responsible Development, which has just submitted its petition and initial 1,000 required signatures for a proposal that would ask Ohioans to vote on capping the energy new data centers can draw from the power grid. We hear about their tactics for gathering signatures in rural Ohio and what’s next in the process to get their initiative on the ballot.</p>no00:12:31Meet Ohio’s latest ballot initiative proposal: banning mega data centersfull<![CDATA[Grassroots Referendum: Inside the Campaign to Defeat Ohio SB 1]]>We sit down with Mandy Fehlbaum, a Youngstown State University professor who helped to lead a referendum to repeal Ohio Senate Bill 1, which placed new restrictions on DEI and collective bargaining at public colleges and universities in the state. We talk about the challenges the grassroots group faced, what prevented them from getting the referendum on the ballot, and takeaways for other grassroots groups looking to run a referendum campaign.

]]>f74c5c82-f31c-4297-95ac-4840ad1d0998Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:01:16 GMT<p>We sit down with Mandy Fehlbaum, a Youngstown State University professor who helped to lead a referendum to repeal Ohio Senate Bill 1, which placed new restrictions on DEI and collective bargaining at public colleges and universities in the state. We talk about the challenges the grassroots group faced, what prevented them from getting the referendum on the ballot, and takeaways for other grassroots groups looking to run a referendum campaign.</p>no00:38:4415Grassroots Referendum: Inside the Campaign to Defeat Ohio SB 1full<![CDATA[What ballot measures are underway in the US? Ohio Ballot Protection at BISC 2026]]>Ohio Ballot Protection co-chair Laura Lucarelli talks with attendees at BISC's Road Ahead 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio, last week to hear what direct democracy advocates across the country are working on.

]]>a48027ff-2e13-45a9-80e0-c28ca5a71868Wed, 18 Mar 2026 01:39:31 GMT<p>Ohio Ballot Protection co-chair Laura Lucarelli talks with attendees at BISC's Road Ahead 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio, last week to hear what direct democracy advocates across the country are working on. </p>no00:13:5514What ballot measures are underway in the US? Ohio Ballot Protection at BISC 2026bonus<![CDATA[Catherine Turcer of Common Cause Ohio on Ballot Initiatives: What Works, and What Needs To Change.]]>In this episode, we sit down with Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio, to talk about how the citizen ballot initiative works. Ohio is one of just 26 states that offer its citizens the power of ballot initiative, referendum, or both. This form of direct democracy is critical to ensuring that citizens’ voices are heard, but it’s not without its obstacles. Listen to learn more about what works with the ballot initiative process in Ohio today, and where the process falls short of supporting the people’s power.

]]>aabe4282-97b4-452c-841b-b75d1e94be5dSun, 01 Mar 2026 12:26:31 GMT<p>In this episode, we sit down with Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio, to talk about how the citizen ballot initiative works. Ohio is one of just 26 states that offer its citizens the power of ballot initiative, referendum, or both. This form of direct democracy is critical to ensuring that citizens’ voices are heard, but it’s not without its obstacles. Listen to learn more about what works with the ballot initiative process in Ohio today, and where the process falls short of supporting the people’s power.</p>no00:21:5513Catherine Turcer of Common Cause Ohio on Ballot Initiatives: What Works, and What Needs To Change.full<![CDATA['I wanted to make a difference': Get to Know Co-Host Patricia Ann Blackmon]]>Laura Lucarelli sits down with Taking Initiative co-host Patricia Ann Blackmon to talk about how she ended up in Ohio, her biggest influences, and why protecting the citizen ballot initiative process is so important to her. 

]]>80c6802d-dbd5-42cb-aeef-fa6c273446d2Sun, 01 Mar 2026 11:30:15 GMT<p>Laura Lucarelli sits down with Taking Initiative co-host Patricia Ann Blackmon to talk about how she ended up in Ohio, her biggest influences, and why protecting the citizen ballot initiative process is so important to her. </p>no00:11:5612'I wanted to make a difference': Get to Know Co-Host Patricia Ann Blackmonfull<![CDATA[Welcome to Taking Initiative, a podcast about citizen ballot initiatives and the people's power.]]>Welcome to Taking Initiative, a podcast that takes a deep dive into the citizen ballot initiative process in Ohio — from roadblocks and challenges to what worked, and why. Join our hosts, former 8th District Appellate Court Judge Pat Blackmon and Ohio Ballot Protection co-chair Laura Lucarelli, as they explore the unique power that Ohio's constitution gives voters in the state and how Ohioans are using it today.

]]>87157bd7-de72-43e0-aded-954b858c42a1Wed, 25 Feb 2026 02:05:11 GMT<p>Welcome to Taking Initiative, a podcast that takes a deep dive into the citizen ballot initiative process in Ohio — from roadblocks and challenges to what worked, and why. Join our hosts, former 8th District Appellate Court Judge Pat Blackmon and Ohio Ballot Protection co-chair Laura Lucarelli, as they explore the unique power that Ohio's constitution gives voters in the state and how Ohioans are using it today.</p>no00:05:06Welcome to Taking Initiative, a podcast about citizen ballot initiatives and the people's power.full