Ashville Voters Repeal EdgeConneX Data Center Agreement in Landslide Referendum
Residents cast 81.65 percent of ballots against the village's agreement for a proposed $100-plus million campus following a Supreme Court challenge.
In a decisive rebuke of village leadership's agreement with data center developer EdgeConneX, Ashville residents voted to repeal the council resolution, striking down the development framework for a proposed $100-plus million data center complex.
With all four village precincts fully reported, 81.65 percent, or 1,468 votes, voted "NO" to repeal the council resolution. Supporters garnered 18.35 percent, or 330 votes, voting "YES" to uphold it.
Under Ohio municipal referendum rules, a "No" vote repeals the approved council measure, while a "Yes" vote would have affirmed the negotiated terms.
The proposal from developer EdgeConneX called for constructing two large data center buildings alongside an on-site natural gas power-generating facility across roughly 195 acres. The referendum outcome also eliminated terms that would have exempted the project from the village's active moratorium on data center construction.
Ashville Village Council initially approved the development agreement in April on a 5-1 vote as an emergency measure, a designation that under Ohio law takes effect immediately and ordinarily blocks a citizen referendum, according to the Scioto Valley Guardian.
In response, local advocates collected 669 verified signatures to force the measure onto the ballot. After municipal officials blocked certification of the petition, the Ohio Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling on Aug. 7 that council failed to provide valid emergency justifications and ordered the referendum placed on the Nov. 3 ballot.
The Pickaway County Board of Elections subsequently voted 4-0 to send the question to voters.
Weeks ahead of the election, the Village of Ashville announced on Oct. 8 that it received a $3.5 million donation from EdgeConneX. Village officials designated the contribution for infrastructure, allocating $1.6 million for wastewater engineering to address infiltration problems following Ohio EPA orders, $1 million for park improvements, and $900,000 for wastewater pump station upgrades.
However, the influx of funds failed to alter community skepticism over utility demands, power generation, and local land use.
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Supporting evidence (9)
In a decisive rebuke of village leadership's agreement with data center developer EdgeConneX, Ashville residents voted to repeal the council resolution, striking down the development framework for a proposed $100-plus million data center complex.
Read supporting passage
In a decisive rebuke of village leadership’s agreement with data center developer EdgeConneX, Ashville residents voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to repeal Resolution 06-2026, effectively striking down the development framework for a proposed $100+ million data center complex.
With all four village precincts fully reported, 81.65 percent, or 1,468 votes, voted "NO" to repeal the council resolution.
Read supporting passage
With all four village precincts fully reported, 81.65% (1,468 votes) voted “NO” to repeal the council resolution
Supporters garnered 18.35 percent, or 330 votes, voting "YES" to uphold it.
Read supporting passage
while just 18.35% (330 votes) voted “YES” to uphold it.
Under Ohio municipal referendum rules, a "No" vote repeals the approved council measure, while a "Yes" vote would have affirmed the negotiated terms.
Read supporting passage
Because of the unique legal structure of an Ohio municipal referendum, a “No” vote repeals the approved measure, while a “Yes” vote would have affirmed the council’s negotiated terms.
The proposal from developer EdgeConneX called for constructing two large data center buildings alongside an on-site natural gas power-generating facility across roughly 195 acres.
Read supporting passage
The proposed EdgeConneX project called for constructing two large data center buildings alongside an on-site natural gas power-generating facility across roughly 195 acres.
The referendum outcome also eliminated terms that would have exempted the project from the village's active moratorium on data center construction.
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Tuesday’s landslide vote completely invalidates Resolution 06-2026’s terms, including provisions that would have exempted the EdgeConneX project from the village’s active data center development moratorium.
In response, local advocates collected 669 verified signatures to force the measure onto the ballot.
Read supporting passage
Local grass-roots advocates with Pickaway Strong Advocacy collected 669 verified signatures to force the measure onto the ballot.
After municipal officials blocked certification of the petition, the Ohio Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling on Aug. 7 that council failed to provide valid emergency justifications and ordered the referendum placed on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Read supporting passage
After municipal officials blocked the certification, the Ohio Supreme Court issued a unanimous writ of mandamus on August 7, 2026 (State ex rel. McNamara-Smith v. Grube), ruling that council failed to provide valid emergency justifications and ordering the issue placed on the November 3 ballot.
However, the influx of funds failed to alter community skepticism over utility demands, power generation, and local land use.
Supporting evidence (4)
Ashville Village Council initially approved the development agreement in April on a 5-1 vote as an emergency measure, a designation that under Ohio law takes effect immediately and ordinarily blocks a citizen referendum, according to the Scioto Valley Guardian.
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Ashville’s council approved the agreement, known as Resolution 06-2026, in April on a 5-1 vote as an emergency measure, a designation that under Ohio law takes effect immediately and ordinarily blocks a referendum.
The Pickaway County Board of Elections subsequently voted 4-0 to send the question to voters.
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The Pickaway County Board of Elections voted 4-0 later that month to send the question to voters, clearing the way for it to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Weeks ahead of the election, the Village of Ashville announced on Oct. 8 that it received a $3.5 million donation from EdgeConneX.
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The Village of Ashville received a $3.5 million donation from EdgeConneX Inc. on the morning of Oct. 8, the same company whose proposed data center development in the village is headed to a Nov. 3 referendum, village officials said in a Facebook post.
Village officials designated the contribution for infrastructure, allocating $1.6 million for wastewater engineering to address infiltration problems following Ohio EPA orders, $1 million for park improvements, and $900,000 for wastewater pump station upgrades.
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The village said the money would be split among three projects: $1 million for parks and recreation improvements, $900,000 for upgrades to the village’s wastewater pump station, and $1.6 million for engineering work on the South Metershed Project, an effort the village said is meant to address inflow and infiltration problems in its wastewater collection system following findings and orders issued by the Ohio EPA.