Ohioans vote Tuesday on a measure that would make it harder to pass future changes to the state constitution. Ideastream’s Karen Kasler explains the possible implications for abortion access in Ohio.
Sources:
NPR: A look ahead at the Ohio special election
Five Thirty Eight: Everything You Need To Know About The Ohio Ballot Measure That Could Block Abortion Rights
CNN: Ohio special election becomes proxy for abortion rights fight
PBS News Hour: Ohio voters to decide on constitutional change before determining abortion rights
The Guardian: Republicans pushed a special election in Ohio – what does it mean for abortion rights?
AP: Voters in Ohio reject GOP-backed proposal that would have made it tougher to protect abortion rights
NY Times: Ohio Voters Reject Constitutional Change Intended to Thwart Abortion Amendment
This measure is so blatantly anti-democratic that I can barely understand how anyone could justify it. I get text messages from right-leaning groups though and these are the kinds of things they’re using to push this initiative:
“Radicals are targeting Ohio children. Leftist amendments to the Ohio constitution will allow children to undergo dangerous sex changes without parental consent, and allow men to dominate women’s sports. Protect your parental rights. Protect your children.“
It’s so ridiculously stupid and over-the-top, do Republicans actually believe this trash? It’s obviously about abortion, I’m surprised they don’t come out and just say it.
I voted ‘No’ on the measure, however, Brexit, of all things, did make me think about this a little more. I think Brexit was a universally stupid move for Britain and I can’t imagine something so incredibly important was left up to a slim ~51-49 vote result, when it should’ve been something more like 60-40, which could’ve prevented Brexit altogether.
Yet I’m doing the exact opposite in voting against Issue 1, which I should be in support of, since it would make it harder for potentially catastrophic initiatives from getting passed. I guess it’s painfully obvious what Republicans are trying to do here AND they’re sneaking it in during a low voter turnout special election, it’s literally the only thing on the ballot in my area. I’m contradicting myself because I don’t trust the motives of the people pushing it.
Republicans count on people’s prejudice and watching propaganda so they don’t know it is about abortion choice. They want to say woke agenda to get them to vote against their interests.
Woke people are women, minorities, LGBTQ, and non Christians. They are against us.
I thought there were laws against false advertising in the US? How can these PACs and campaigns say shit like “children will be able to get dangerous sex change operations without parental consent”?? It is so far from reality and yet it’s in every piece of conservative rhetoric at every level of politics. There’s always been “spin,” but it used to be that they’d go out of their way to pick their words very carefully, ie. dog whistle racism.
So there’s laws against lying in commercials about fast food but none that control influencing elections with misinformation? How is this kind of blatant lying even legal?
Republicans don’t care about the law.
They’re not technically wrong even if they are grossly misleading. Of course there isn’t anything like that on the November ballot. One day there could be. At least that’s what they want to scare people into believing. The reality is far from their narrative as usual. That doesn’t mean we don’t have a problem with outside money interfering with the political process here in Ohio. Sure, it happens more in the government (see the large recent bribery scandal). It also happens to our ballot initiatives. People collecting signatures for the two upcoming amendments aren’t necessarily volunteers and aren’t even always Ohioans. I found that out first hand when I asked the ones trying to get my signature. I still signed but it opened my eyes.
This very thing inspired me, a person who currently works nights, to screw up my sleep schedule to vote against it.
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just vote by mail at your leisure?
Same. This is the second time I’ve ever voted, and I’m 35.
I guess I have to thank the Republicans for becoming insane enough to make me feel like I can no longer afford not to vote.
The 60% threshold isn’t inherently bad, and I agree that an argument could be made for requiring at least 55% approval in order for a ballot initiative to pass. Here are my problems with the Ohio situation:
Issue 1 would make it harder to put initiatives on the ballot, period. The big hurdle is requiring a relatively large number of signatures from EVERY county in the state. This means that a single ruby-red county could single-handedly keep an issue off of the ballot
Ohio is so gerrymandered that ballot initiatives are about the only voice available to the population. The GOP has supermajorities in the state Senate and House, even though they only have about a 4% advantage in registered voters.
It’s absolutely critical to defeat Issue 1.
Even more to the gerrymandering, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled the CURRENT gerrymandered districting is unconstitutional. GOP lead house and senate in the state simply ignored it and keeps the gerrymandering which keeps them in control of the state legislature.
Ohioians few remaining ways to make their voices heard is by referendum, which is what the GOP is trying to take away here from Ohio voters.
Ohio should do two more constitutional amendments by ballot initiative.
Require voting districts to be approved by popular vote. Elected representatives should not have that much control over who can vote for or against them
Require any future change to the requirements for passing a ballot initiative meet the same standards it proposes in order to pass.
Constitutions are fundamentally anti-democratic in intention.