Ohio Supreme Court allows Ashville data center referendum

On August 7, 2026, the United States — Supreme Court of Ohio ruled that the village of Ashville improperly blocked a ballot referendum challenging a data center project proposed by EdgeConneX. The court found that the village council's emergency declaration, which exempted the project from a 30-day waiting period and made it immune to referendum, was not a valid emergency because it failed to explain why a 30-day delay would unnecessarily delay the project. The ruling allows the referendum to proceed to the United States — Wake County Board of Elections, which will decide whether to place it on the November ballot. The project involves two data center buildings and an 800-megawatt natural gas plant on about 195 acres. The decision is part of a broader backlash against data centers in Ohio, with other municipalities considering bans and referendums. A separate group in Trenton has filed a lawsuit with the United States — Supreme Court of Ohio over a proposed data center ban.