Ohio Rejects Issue 1 in Big Loss for Anti-Abortion Groups

By Rick Martin Aug 09 2023, 22:19 PM EDT

In a stunning loss for anti-abortion rights advocates, Ohio has rejected a Republican-backed constitutional amendment, Issue 1, that would hamper abortion rights in the state.

Issue 1 would have raised the voting threshold for future constitutional amendments to 60% from a bare majority and derailed Ohio abortion rights.

The measure mobilized Ohioans who came in droves to vote for or against the measure. BBC noted that more ballots were cast in the special vote on Issue 1 than the primaries for governor, Senate, House, and other major state-wide races in last year's midterms.

Nearly all of the votes have been tallied and around 57% of voters had rejected Issue 1. Only 43% voted yes to the Republican-backed measure, which would have made it harder to place amendments before voters in the first place. Petitioners need to gather signatures from 5% of eligible voters in each of Ohio's 88 counties to do this. Currently, it only needs to have signatures from at least 44 counties.

What Does Issue 1 Have To Do With Ohio Abortion Rights?

For the elections in November, a proposed amendment to Ohio's constitution would enshrine abortion rights. To stop this, Republicans introduced Issue 1, which would make the proposed amendment harder to pass as it would require 60% of votes to be enshrined in the state constitution.

Now that Issue 1 has been rejected, that 60% threshold would not be needed in November, with abortion rights just needing a simple majority to pass and be enshrined in the state constitution of Ohio.

Republican state lawmakers have openly admitted that Issue 1 was to make things harder for abortion rights in the November election, though the state's chief election official, Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, noted that "Issue 1 was about protecting the Ohio constitution from outside moneyed interests."

President Joe Biden lauded the opposition against Issue 1, saying, "Today, Ohio voters rejected an effort by Republican lawmakers and special interests to change the state's constitutional amendment process."

According to NBC News, he also added, "This measure was a blatant attempt to weaken voters' voices and further erode the freedom of women to make their own health care decisions. Ohioans spoke loud and clear, and tonight democracy won."

Ohio Abortion Rights Advocates Turn Their Attention to November Vote

With Issue 1 defeated, Ohio abortion rights advocates are now moving on to their next battle, and that is the November elections, which includes the measure to enshrine abortion rights into the Ohio constitution.

Kelly Hall, executive director of The Fairness Project, praised the win, telling CBS News, "It's absolutely appropriate that it's decided by the majority of Ohioans and Ohioans are not beholden to the views of a 40% minority."

A poll last July found that 58% of likely voters might back the abortion rights amendment. Rhiannon Carnes, spokeswoman for Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, told CBS News, "Ohioans still have a voice and an opportunity this November to ensure families have the freedom to make decisions that are best for them, free from government meddling and interference."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Ohio voters reject Issue 1 in special election - WFAA