Voters in Ohio reject GOP-backed proposal that would have made it tougher to protect abortion rights

Ohio voters reject GOP-backed measure to raise threshold for constitutional amendments, setting up fall campaign on abortion rights. Defeat of Issue 1 keeps in place simple majority threshold, protecting State’s foundational document from outside interest groups. Opposition widespread, even in Republican territory; result marks setback for those favouring tough restrictions on abortion.

Ohio voters on August 8 resoundingly rejected a Republican-backed measure that would have made it more difficult to change the State’s constitution, setting up a fall campaign that will become the nation’s latest referendum on abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned nationwide protections last year.

The defeat of Issue 1 keeps in place a simple majority threshold for passing future constitutional amendments. It would have raised that to a 60% supermajority, which supporters said would protect the State’s foundational document from outside interest groups.

Opposition to the proposal was widespread, even spreading into Republican territory. In fact, in early returns, support for the measure fell far short of former President Donald Trump’s performance during the 2020 election in nearly every county.

Dennis Willard, a spokesperson for the opposition campaign One Person One Vote, called Issue 1 a “deceptive power grab” that was intended to diminish the influence of the State’s voters.

“Tonight is a major victory for democracy in Ohio,” Mr. Willard told a jubilant crowd at the opposition campaign’s watch party. “The majority still rules in Ohio.”

President Joe Biden hailed August 8th's result, releasing a statement saying: “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.”

A major national group that opposes abortion rights, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, called the result “a sad day for Ohio" while criticizing the outside money that helped the opposition— even though both sides relied on national groups and individuals in their campaigns.