Topline Ohio voters Tuesday rejected a ballot measure that would have made it harder for them to amend the state’s constitution through public voting, the Associated Press reported, in a major victory for abortion rights groups in the state ahead of a referendum later this year that could overturn the state’s Republican-led legislature’s efforts to block nearly all abortions in the state.
People celebrate the defeat of Issue 1 during a watch party Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved Key Facts According to the New York Times, 56.5% of the voters voted to reject the measure known as Issue 1, which would have raised the threshold for any proposed constitutional amendment via public voting from a simple majority to at least 60%.
The measure was backed by the state’s Republican lawmakers, but it faced widespread pushback even among GOP voters, with the AP reporting that Issue 1 garnered significantly lesser ‘Yes’ votes than former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election in nearly every county in the state.
The measure saw strong interest from voters, as 700,000 people voted early—through in-person and mail-in ballots—with the final turnout crossing 2.8 million, which the Times notes is nearly double that of last year’s primary elections ahead of the midterms.
What To Watch For Tuesday’s results are a major win for abortion rights advocates in the state, as ahead of a state referendum on the issue in November. The ballot measure aims to enshrine reproductive rights into the state’s constitution and block the state’s GOP-controlled legislation from banning the procedure. Tuesday’s result means the proposed amendment will only need to receive a simple majority instead of 60%. Polling numbers from various outlets show that around 59% of voters in the state support the ballot measure.
Crucial Quote In a statement issued by the White House, President Joe Biden said: “Today, Ohio voters rejected an effort by Republican lawmakers and special interests to change the state’s constitutional amendment process. 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.”