BREAKING NEWS | Ohio Supreme Court orders Youngstown fracking amendment put back on ballot

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Supreme Court today granted a motion by the city of Youngstown to require the Mahoning County Board of Elections to put an anti-fracking charter amendment back on the Nov. 3 ballot.

In a 7-0 decision, the court ruled the board overstepped its authority by removing the citizen-initiative charter amendment on Aug. 26.

The board refused to certify the proposal saying its language violates state law.

But the court wrote the board does “not have authority to sit as arbiters of the legality or constitutionality of a ballot measure’s substantive terms,” and that can only be decided by a court.

The board will place the proposal on the Nov. 3 ballot. It’s been rejected four previous times by Youngstown voters.

For the complete story, read Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com