ASHLAND, OHIO — The Ashland County Agricultural Society, commonly known as the Ashland County Fair Board and the Ashland County Democratic Committee have reached a settlement resolving the Democratic Committee’s claims against the Fair Board arising from the Democratic Committee’s removal from the 2025 Ashland County Fair. The claims against the Ashland County Sheriff remain pending in the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
On September 18, 2025, the Fair Board removed the Democratic Committee after receiving complaints about political buttons and materials displayed at its booth, including materials critical of the President of the United States. The materials constituted political expression protected by the First Amendment.
The Fair Board issued the statement regarding the Ashland County Democratic Committee and its members for removing them from the 2025 County Fair:
The Ashland County Democratic Committee did not engage in any improper conduct at the 2025 Fair. They were peacefully exercising their constitutional right to political expression and should not have been removed because others objected to their message. It was not the Board’s intention to unfairly characterize the Democratic Committee’s protected political expression or cause reputational harm to the organization and its members. The Fair Board apologizes for this mistake. The Fair Board recognizes that protected political expression may not be restricted because of its viewpoint or because members of the public find it offensive or objectionable.
As part of the settlement, the Fair Board agreed to revise its exhibitor standards to protect political expression from viewpoint discrimination or censorship resulting from others’ complaints. Fair Board members and personnel responsible for regulating exhibitor expression will also receive First Amendment training.
The Fair Board has confirmed that the Ashland County Democratic Committee is welcome to participate in future Ashland County Fairs.
The Fair Board and the Ashland County Democrats agree that the Ashland County Fair belongs to the entire community and we all want it to remain a place where people with different political beliefs can participate, express themselves, and be treated fairly in a safe environment.
“This settlement restores the public record and affirms that Ashland County Democrats have the same right as everyone else to engage in peaceful political expression,” Democratic Committee Chair Heather Sample said. “We don’t believe the Fair Board acted with malicious intent in last year’s expulsion, we do appreciate the Fair Board’s apology and its commitment to protecting the First Amendment rights and safety of all exhibitors.”
