Ohio has dealt a setback to Republican efforts by rejecting a proposal to heighten the threshold for altering the state's constitution. This move, widely interpreted as a defeat for anti-abortion factions, would have demanded a 60% majority instead of a simple majority for constitutional amendments.
The state's legislature, controlled by Republicans, sought to enact this change to impede a planned referendum aiming to embed abortion rights into the constitution. Last year, the US Supreme Court terminated the nationwide abortion right, permitting Ohio to implement a ban on the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy (although this ban is currently stayed due to legal challenges).
This move was decried by President Joe Biden as a triumph for democracy and women's rights. He condemned the Republican-sponsored action as a clear attempt to undermine voter influence and further curtail women's autonomy over their healthcare decisions.
The vote on the proposed measure, dubbed Issue 1, culminated in a rejection with 57% against and 43% in favor, as almost all voting precincts reported their tallies by Wednesday morning. Notably, more than 600,000 early ballots were submitted on the issue, marking a historically high turnout for August elections in the state.
One Person, One Vote, a campaign group, characterized Issue 1 as a "deceptive power grab designed to silence" voters. Conversely, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Liz Walters praised the outcome as reflective of the state's desired trajectory.
Issue 1, the sole question on the Ohio ballot for the special election on August 8th, aimed to revise the amendment approval threshold from 50% to 60%. Additionally, it would have made initiating amendments more challenging, necessitating petitioners to gather signatures from 5% of eligible voters in each of Ohio's 88 counties, up from the current requirement of 44.
The proponents of Issue 1, led by Ohio's Republican-controlled legislature and Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, contended that their objective was to protect the state constitution from external financial influences. Critics, however, comprised of a diverse and bipartisan coalition, argued that the measure was primarily intended to obstruct an abortion-related amendment.
Kellie Copeland, executive director of Pro-Choice Ohio, noted that polling data indicated strong support for the abortion-related amendment in Ohio. Opponents of Issue 1 believed the aim was to render this amendment unattainable. In a private event in May, LaRose seemed to validate these suspicions, stating, "I'm pro-life. I think many of you are as well... This is 100% about keeping a radical pro-abortion amendment out of our constitution."
The rejection of the amendment's threshold change could potentially have far-reaching consequences. Polls suggest that an abortion-rights amendment, safeguarding access to abortion up until fetal viability (around 24 weeks of pregnancy), could garner a majority. Yet, achieving the 60% requirement would be an uphill battle. If abortion becomes illegal in Ohio, neighboring states like Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia, where abortion access is already limited, could witness significant effects.
Moreover, the implications of Ohio's August election could extend to the state's US Senate election next year, potentially influencing the candidacy of Frank LaRose, who may be in the running.