Two major constitutional initiatives are taking place in Ohio. Concerning reproductive justice, in November, Ohio voters will decide whether to amend the Ohio state constitution to legalize abortion.
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A "yes" vote supports amending the Ohio Constitution to:
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A "no" vote opposes amending the Ohio Constitution to establish the constitutional right to "make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions." A second potentially EVEN MORE IMPORTANT initiative is taking place this August to change the Ohio constitution to require citizen-led constitutional amendments to get a 60% vote instead of a simple majority that is required since 1912. The only other states requiring a 60% threshold are Illinois and Florida. Many surmise that if this passes in Ohio, other states under GOP control will try to use the same tactics |
What You Need To Know:
This constitutional amendment would make the Reproductive Rights Amendment more difficult to pass. While it is believed that 59% of Ohio voters support some type of abortion access, it would take 60% to legalize abortion in the Ohio constitution.
Further, a "yes" vote also would require initiative petitions proposing a constitutional amendment to be signed by at least 5% of the electors in all of Ohio's 88 counties. And it would also remove the 10-day period for petitioners to gather more signatures for a constitutional amendment if it's determined that they didn't file enough valid signatures.
A "no" vote would uphold the status quo, which requires a simple majority from voters to approve a constitutional amendment. It also would keep current rules regarding initiative petitions that require signatures from 44 counties instead of 88. And it would keep the 10-day "cure" period if it's determined the petitioners didn't file enough valid signatures.
IF YOU VOTE IN OHIO, vote no in Ohio on August 8th! Go to www.votefromabroad.org to secure your ballot for upcoming elections.