Nearly 90,000 signatures gathered in Lucas County in successful drive to get anti-SB5 referendum on ballot

University of Toledo records management worker Jackie Rome, fist in air at right, attends a pro-union and anti-SB 5 rally earlier this year at UT.

Almost 90,000 signatures were collected in Lucas County by opponents of Ohio’s new law limiting public employee’s collective-bargaining, referendum initiative volunteers announced Friday.

Statewide, opponents collected nearly 1.3 million signatures to give voters a chance to repeal the law. They delivered the signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office Wednesday. The signatures must still be certified, but based on the number gathered there’s little doubt a referendum will go to voters in November.

A We Are Ohio spokesman said the 89,610 signatures gathered in Lucas County ranked among the top counties in the state, though he didn’t have figures available for all 88 counties.

The group said it gathered 3,496 signatures in Fulton County. Numbers are expected to be released later Friday for other counties, including Wood and Allen.

Gov. John Kasich signed the bill into law March 31. It would have taken effect Friday had the referendum petitions not been filed.