One of the petitioners who unsuccessfully sought to have the Ohio Supreme Court reconsider reviewing Trumbull Board of Elections decisions to deny four referendum issues on the November ballot called Wednesday’s decision “a further blow to the citizens of Newton Falls and their right to referendum actions.”

The response in an email to 21 News came from James Luonuansuu who, along with Patrick Layshock, a former Newton Falls mayor, had petitioned the high court after it declined their initial petition for a writ that would have ordered the board to approve the ballot issues. The four referenda included votes on expenditures for bonds to purchase a former church that would become the new village hall, spending of more than $3 million to upgrade water and electric meters, and changes in the status and salary of the village law director.

In its initial ruling, the court ruled that Luonuansuu and Layshock lacked sufficient evidence that would have justified a court order. On Wednesday, the court without comment, declined the petition for reconsideration.  Justice Melody Stewart, however, cast a lone dissenting vote.

In his email, Luonuansuu said he wasn’t surprised by the decision, but disagrees with it. “The right to vote has been stripped from the citizens of Newton Falls,” he wrote.