Ohio Data Center Ban Advocates Race to Collect 413,000 Signatures by July 1
Southern Ohio advocates have just two months left to gather 413,000 signatures for a constitutional amendment banning large data centers.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Advocates aiming to ban large data centers in Ohio are working to collect more than 413,000 signatures by July 1 to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot, despite a tight deadline with just two months remaining.
The proposed constitutional amendment would prohibit the construction of data centers with a peak load exceeding 25 megawatts per month. To qualify for the ballot, organizers must gather signatures from at least 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties by the July 1 deadline.
“I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t think it was a doable task,” said Austin Baurichter, a Brown County resident who helped submit the petition.
Volunteer-Only Signature Drive
The Ohio Ballot Board approved the petition for signature collection about a month ago. Since then, organizers have relied solely on volunteers to gather support across the state.
“I feel completely confident that we’re going to get enough signatures,” said Nikki Gerber, an Adams County resident who participated in submitting the proposal.
Baurichter and Gerber said they do not yet know the exact number of signatures collected but expect to have a clearer picture within the next couple of weeks.
Strategic Approach to Collection
The decision to use only volunteers was deliberate, according to organizers. “That was an intentional choice to make it widely accessible, because, in our opinion, that was the only way that we can get these signatures in the time that we need,” Baurichter said.
The grassroots approach reflects the southern Ohio origins of the movement, with key organizers from Brown County and Adams County leading the statewide effort.
Constitutional Amendment Requirements
To succeed, the amendment must meet Ohio’s constitutional requirements for citizen-initiated measures. The 413,000 signature threshold represents 10% of the total votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election, distributed across at least half of the state’s counties.
If successful, the amendment would establish one of the most restrictive data center policies in the United States, effectively blocking major technology companies from building large-scale facilities in Ohio. The 25-megawatt limit would prevent construction of the massive data centers typically used by tech giants for cloud computing and artificial intelligence operations.
The November ballot will determine whether Ohio voters support the constitutional ban, which would require approval from a majority of those voting on the measure.
