State ex rel. Rife v. Franklin County Board of Elections

We may set aside the decision of a board of elections and grant a writ of mandamus to compel a referendum election where fraud, corruption, abuse of discretion, or a clear disregard of statutes or applicable legal provisions *634is shown. State ex rel. Zonders v. Delaware Cty. Bd. of Elections (1994), 69 Ohio St.3d 5, 7, 630 N.E.2d 313, 314-315. Rife argues that the board of elections disregarded the election laws in rejecting his referendum petition. For the reasons that follow, we agree.2

R.C. 303.12(H) states with respect to a petition for submission of a zoning resolution to area electors for…