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Backers consider expanding anti-fracking effort

YOUNGSTOWN – Backers of an anti-fracking charter amendment rejected by Youngstown voters in last month’s general election are considering the possibility of expanding their effort from a citywide to countywide initiative.

Committee member Susie Beiersdorfer said the group is exploring all of its options following the Tuesday recount that upheld the vote count from the Nov. 3 election.

The hand recount of the antifracking charter amendment, or Community Bill of Rights that would have amended Youngstown’s charter, confirmed the issue was defeated. The recount was done during a special meeting of the Mahoning County Board of Elections, which certified the new count at 6,151 votes against the measure and 5,852 for it.

Election night results showed 6,143 votes against it and 5,839 for it.

A recount committee was formed to oversee the process that involved all of Youngstown’s 45 precincts.

November’s general election marked the committee’s fifth try at winning voter approval for the measure that would have restricted activities related to the oil and gas industry within Youngstown’s city limits. It lost by less than 3 percentage points, which is the closest it has come so far to passing.

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