Meet the Neighbors behind the Richland Referendum

Sarah Strinka


April 21, 2026

Richland county citizens are fighting back against a solar ban by voting NO on May 5th.

An investigative reporter just pulled back the curtain on the opposition in Richland County and what she found is exactly why this fight matters.

Fossil fuel companies working to make sure Richland County stays closed to wind and solar. The opposition PAC lists a treasurer who lives in Virginia and runs Super PACs for the natural gas industry.

Across the country, local bans on wind and solar are spreading. More than 450 counties across 44 states have banned or severely restricted wind and solar. These bans don't just affect farmers and landowners. They shape Ohio's energy future, our job market, and whether communities get a voice in what gets built on their own property.

The No Ban on Property Rights campaign started with, and is run by, citizens in Richland County. Last year, they heard that the county commissioners were considering a ban on large solar and wind in parts of the county, attended hearings and meetings, and spoke out against the ban. When the commissioners passed the ban without listening to constituents, they turned to the rules laid on in Ohio's Senate Bill 52. They had 30 days to collect petition signatures and put it on the ballot for voters to decide if they'll accept or reject the ban. They collected enough signatures to put the referendum on the primary ballot in May 2026.

Richland County can flip the script on renewable energy bans across America. A "No" vote on May 5th would make it the first county in the United States to repeal a renewable energy ban at the ballot box.

The people fighting back aren't paid operatives. They live and work in Richland County.

Dorinda & Jeff Strang | Mifflin Township - grandmother and grandfather, lifelong Richland County residents

Dorinda has watched Mansfield's economy hollow out over decades. When commissioners banned large-scale wind and solar before a single project was even proposed, she was done staying quiet. Read her letter to the editor.

Jeff spent 43 years teaching social studies. He visited solar sites, talked to farmers and scientists, and has seen agrivoltaics in action. His conclusion: "Solar energy can be a win-win for landowners and communities. Landowners should have the option to utilize their land in their best interest."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emily Adams | Mansfield - mom of two, rooftop solar owner

Emily has solar panels on her own roof. They've helped keep her bills manageable and she followed every rule to install them. That's her whole point.

"I joined this campaign to stand up for freedom and fairness," she said at Tuesday's early voting press conference, her kids by her side. "A No vote doesn't mean anything goes. It means every project goes through the full public process, case by case. Freedom and fairness."

"A no vote means that if a landowner wants to, they can propose a large-scale renewable energy project on their land and go through the formal process, following all of the rules so it stays fair for everyone."

Morgan Carroll | Shelby - lifelong Richland County resident

Morgan grew up in Mansfield, went to school in Lexington, and now lives in Shelby. She's thinking practically about her county's future. Read her Letter to the Editor.

"I don't want to shut out any energy development options- solar, wind, natural gas, any of the above. Our nation is growing, our county is growing, our state is growing. We're going to need the energy."

"This campaign is personal to me. Yes, it's about property rights and making your own decisions about your land, it's also about government overreach and holding elected officials accountable for making bad decisions."

 

 

 

 

Dorinda, Jeff, Emily and Morgan aren't professional advocates. They're your neighbors (or neighbors of your neighbors.) They show up because this issue is real to them and because they want to live in a community that stands up for each other.