Flint Hills Digital Campus protest petition deemed invalid following review by Lyon County Clerk’s Office

A petition launched by Emporia Neighbors United, protesting the proposed Flint Hills Digital Campus data center in Emporia, Kansas, was declared invalid by the Lyon County Clerk’s Office on Friday, despite having collected over 1,400 signatures. The petition sought the adoption of an ordinance by the City of Emporia to prohibit "High Impact Data Centers" and certain battery energy storage systems, citing concerns for public health and safety.

Lyon County Legal Counsel Molly Priest initially determined the petition's question was legally compliant, passing it to Lyon County Clerk Amie Jones for signature verification. However, Jones found the petition invalid because the submitted pages and affidavits did not clearly link witnesses to specific signed pages and dates, making signature verification impossible.

While Jones indicated that organizers would likely need to restart the entire campaign due to this procedural error, Emporia Neighbors United has publicly stated their intent to revise and resubmit the petition. In a Facebook post, the group affirmed their commitment to continue the fight, stating they would work with county officials to understand the exact reasons for the petition's failure and prepare for a renewed effort.