Ohio Voters Deliver 1.3 Million Signatures
by Jon Melegrito | June 30, 2011
More than 6,000 union members and community supporters marched in the People's Parade through Columbus, Ohio, to deliver nearly 1.3 million signatures supporting the repeal of S.B. 5. (Photo by Tessa Bargainnier)
In a historic event that could very well lead to the repeal of S.B. 5, more than 6,000 We Are Ohio volunteers, union members and community supporters marched in downtown Columbus yesterday to deliver a record 1,298,301 signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State. This massive effort, which collected more signatures than any other petition drive in Ohio history, will prevent the anti-worker law from taking effect and place the issue on the November 2011 ballot.
The citizen-driven petition drive, which started immediately after the law was passed in March, organized more than 10,000 activists in all 88 counties and collected more than the required 231,149 signatures.
“We are going to overturn S.B. 5 because we will work hard from now on until November to get a record turnout at the polls,” said Tom Ritchie, a member of Local 1342 (Council 8). “The working families and retirees of this state are not going to be hoodwinked. Our people power will lead us to victory.”
The petitions calling for the repeal of S.B. 5, a law that strips public service workers of collective bargaining rights, were delivered in a semi-truck loaded with hundreds of boxes.
See photos from the People's Parade and petition delivery below:
