Ohio rejects initiative to change amendment process, easing the way for abortion referendum
Ohio voters rejected a proposed initiative that would have made it more difficult to adopt constitutional amendments via citizen-led ballot initiatives, which will make it easier for a proposed abortion referendum to succeed in November.
With 81% of the votes tallied at 10 p.m. Tuesday, about 57% had voted no on Issue 1 while about 43% voted yes on the initiative.
A yes vote was a vote in favor of raising the threshold required for adopting a constitutional amendment through a citizen-led ballot initiative. The proposal would have required 60% of the vote for an initiative to pass. With the amendment’s defeat, a simple majority is all that is required for a ballot initiative to win.
The proposal received support from pro-life organizations, various business associations, and the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. It was also supported by the Republican Party of Ohio. The opponents of the proposal included pro-abortion organizations, various unions, and the Democratic Party of Ohio.
How this could affect abortion
This referendum comes just three months before Ohioans will vote on another referendum that will decide whether to establish a constitutional right to “reproductive freedom,” which would include abortion up to the point of viability.
With the Aug. 8 initiative failing, pro-abortion advocates will only need to obtain a simple majority of the vote rather than reach the 60% threshold that would have otherwise been required if voters had approved Issue 1.
