Ohio Issue 1: Anti-abortion advocates face a humbling loss.

The State of Ohio‍ Rejects Issue 1, Paving the⁤ Way for an Abortion Rights Amendment

The state of Ohio has made a significant decision regarding Issue 1, which aimed to make⁢ it more challenging to amend the state‍ constitution. This outcome has important implications for an ​upcoming referendum on enshrining ‍abortion rights in the state constitution.

With a record-breaking ‌voter turnout since early voting began last month, the Columbus Dispatch​ has projected a resounding victory ⁣for the “no” vote, with nearly 70% of the votes in. This means that a simple majority will still be sufficient to amend the state constitution, making it easier for an ⁢abortion rights constitutional amendment to gain approval on the ballot this November.

Ohioans’ Votes ⁤Matter

Approximately 30% of Ohioans voted in⁢ favor of increasing the difficulty of amending the state ‍constitution, requiring a 60% majority vote. However, the majority has spoken,⁣ emphasizing‍ that changing ‌the ⁣state’s founding document should ​not be‍ an easy process.

The Battle for Abortion Rights

Abortion is‍ currently‌ legal in Ohio up to 22 weeks gestation. However, a⁤ six-week abortion ban signed by Gov. Mike Dewine in 2019 was put ⁣on hold in December. Now, an abortion rights amendment is set to be on the ballot in November 2023, preventing the state legislature from interfering or⁣ unduly burdening those seeking ‌or providing abortions.

Opponents of the abortion amendment argue that it would invalidate several existing Ohio⁢ laws, including parental consent measures and‌ regulations ⁣of abortion facilities. They have been the strongest proponents of Issue 1, stressing that changing the state’s founding document should not be taken lightly.

“To many voters, Issue 1 is very reasonable ‌when they see what it requires to change our US Constitution and what it requires in other states,” says Michelle Ashley of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. ​”It’s bipartisan… and it’s⁢ very⁣ common sense.”

The Fight for Democracy

Ohio is one of only 18 states that allows for petition-initiated constitutional amendments. Currently, only 9 of those states require a simple majority to change the state’s governing document. Advocates of the abortion ‌amendment, including Planned Parenthood ‌and​ the American Civil Liberties Union, argue that requiring a super majority hinders the ⁢principle of one person, one vote.

“Without one person, one vote, ‍we are⁤ no longer a functional democracy – rather a disturbing inversion where a small number of people decide how the majority must ​live,” says Collin Marozzi,‌ the deputy policy director​ of ACLU Ohio. “By requiring 60% support for future amendments, Ohioans’ votes and voices will no ​longer be equal.”

Recent polls indicate that 58% of Ohioans support enacting the abortion amendment. However, anti-abortion advocates still have an opportunity to⁢ challenge the proposed amendment through a lawsuit filed by two state-level GOP political leaders. The lawsuit claims that the amendment violates​ requirements because it does not clarify which current state laws would be invalidated if passed by referendum.

Click here to ⁣read​ more from the ‌Washington Examiner.

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