By Subodh Chandra of The Chandra Law Firm LLC posted in Voting rights on Thursday, August 10, 2017.

The Ohio Supreme Court today ordered that Cleveland City Council must process the voter-referendum petition on the Quicken Loans Arena/Cavaliers subsidy. The Court held that, "The clerk had a clear legal duty to perform the ministerial function of her office—verifying the sufficiency of the petition signatures—and relators have a clear legal right to compel the performance of that duty." The decision is a victory for democracy and the rule of law—and a stinging rebuke to the politicians and their corporate patrons who ham handedly tried to subvert democracy. As the Court said,"one may reasonably be in favor of both the arena renovation and providing citizens the opportunity to vote on the renovation." And now, as our clients, led by the Greater Cleveland Congregations, sought, the voters will now decide.

The Court's decision is here.