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.
'I wanted to make a difference': Get to Know Co-Host Patricia Ann Blackmon
Mar 1, 2026 Taking Initiative
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.
Catherine Turcer of Common Cause Ohio on Ballot Initiatives: What Works, and What Needs To Change
Mar 1, 2026 Taking Initiative
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.
What ballot measures are underway in the US? Ohio Ballot Protection at BISC 2026
Mar 17, 2026 Taking Initiative
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.
Grassroots Referendum: Inside the Campaign to Defeat Ohio SB 1
Mar 23, 2026 Taking Initiative
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.
Meet Ohio’s latest ballot initiative proposal: banning mega data centers
Mar 24, 2026 Taking Initiative
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.
Meet Ohio's Secretary of State Candidates: Bryan Hambley (Democratic Party)
April 4, 2026 Taking Initiative
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.
Meet Ohio's Secretary of State Candidates: Marcell Strbich (Republican Party)
April 4, 2026 Taking Initiative
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.
Meet Ohio's Secretary of State Candidates: Allison Russo (Democratic Party)
April 15, 2026 Taking Initiative
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.
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