Claremore Invalidates Referendum Petitions for Data Center Project

The City of Claremore has determined that three referendum petitions related to the Project Mustang data center are legally invalid. This decision stems from findings by the City Clerk and legal counsel that proper state-mandated procedures were not followed, specifically that true copies of the petitions were not filed with the City Clerk before signature collection.

The petitions sought to challenge ordinances passed in May concerning the data center. The Oklahoma Supreme Court's precedent emphasizes that failure to pre-file petitions constitutes a critical defect, impacting jurisdiction and the validity of the actions taken by petition proponents. This ruling underscores the importance of adherence to procedural safeguards in the democratic process, as outlined by state law.