An upcoming referendum in Ohio has become a proxy fight for abortion, with Republican state legislators accused of moving the goalposts. The referendum, known as Issue 1, is a seemingly procedural vote on the minimum threshold required to pass constitutional amendments. Voters will decide on August 8th whether the threshold should remain at 50% plus one or be raised to 60%. However, the vote has become a battleground over abortion, as Ohioans will also vote on another constitutional amendment in November that would protect abortion access up until fetal viability, around 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Proponents of Issue 1 claim that the vote is simply to protect the state’s constitution from outside influence. However, opponents, including retired Supreme Court judges and all of Ohio’s past living governors, argue that Issue 1 is a backhanded attempt to change the rules mid-game and thwart the abortion vote. Recent surveys show that if all Ohioans were to show up for the vote now, the abortion amendment would win with 58% support. But if Issue 1 is passed first and the threshold is raised to 60%, the abortion rights amendment may be finished.
Ohio’s secretary of state, Frank LaRose, has championed Issue 1, arguing that allowing a bare majority to change the ground rules of the state is not good public policy. LaRose, who is also a Republican candidate for the US Senate, has faced accusations of hypocrisy and denying the obvious motivations behind Issue 1. Critics argue that the referendum is an elaborate scheme to suppress the vote of Ohioans and circumvent public opinion in service of the ultimate goal of outlawing abortion entirely.
Anti-abortion leaders and their Republican allies have found paths around popular support, either relying on the court system or on politicians willing to promote abortion policy regardless of voters’ wishes. This strategy, according to experts, reflects a belief within the anti-abortion movement that winning is more important than democracy. Ohio’s Issue 1 is seen as part of a broader tactic employed by anti-abortion advocates to prevent a straight up and down
How have Republican state legislators in Ohio been accused of manipulating the upcoming referendum on Issue 1 to divert attention away from the abortion issue?
An upcoming referendum in Ohio that has turned into a contentious battleground for the abortion issue. Republican state legislators are facing accusations of shifting their focus and manipulating the process. The referendum, named Issue 1, initially appeared to be a straightforward vote on the minimum threshold necessary to pass constitutional amendments. However, voters now find themselves embroiled in a much more substantial debate.
