Ohio Rejects Republican Motion to Raise Bar for Constitutional Amendments

Ohio Rejects Republican Motion to Raise Bar for Constitutional Amendments

In a blow to anti-abortion groups, Ohio has rejected a Republican motion to make it harder to change the state’s constitution. The Republican-controlled state legislature had sought to raise the threshold for constitutional amendments from a simple majority to 60%. This move was widely seen as an attempt to derail a planned referendum to enshrine abortion rights into the constitution.

President Joe Biden hailed the rejection as a victory for democracy and women’s rights. He criticized the Republican-backed motion as a “blatant attempt to weaken voters’ voices and further erode the freedom of women to make their own health care decisions.”

The push for stricter constitutional amendment rules came after the US Supreme Court ended the nationwide right to abortion last year. Ohio subsequently implemented a ban on the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, although it is currently on hold due to a legal challenge.

Pro-choice groups in Ohio are now focusing on the November elections to reverse the abortion ban by securing the right to abortion in the state’s constitution.

With most of the votes counted in the recent special election, known as Issue 1, it was projected that a majority of Ohio voters rejected the proposal to raise the threshold for constitutional amendments. The campaign behind the ‘No’ vote, One Person, One Vote, described the amendment as a “deceptive power grab designed to silence” voters.

The rejection of Issue 1 was celebrated by Ohio Democratic Party Chair Liz Walters, who called it “a victory for the kind of state we want to see.” The special election saw a historically high turnout of over 600,000 early ballots.

Issue 1, which aimed to change the threshold for approving amendments from 50% to 60%, was championed by Ohio’s Republican-led legislature and the state’s chief election official, Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose. LaRose argued that the amendment was about protecting the Ohio constitution from outside influences.

However, opponents of Issue 1, including a diverse and bipartisan coalition, argued that it was an effort to block the abortion amendment. They pointed to polls showing that a majority of Ohioans support the abortion-rights amendment and accused proponents of trying to make it unattainable.

The likely consequences of the rejection of Issue 1 include the possibility of more anti-abortion legislation in Ohio. If abortion becomes illegal in the state, it would impact millions in neighboring states, such as Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia, where abortion access has already been restricted.

Observers also suggest that the implications of Ohio’s August election could extend to the state’s US senatorial election next year, in which Secretary of State Frank LaRose may be a candidate.

The rejection of the Republican motion raises questions about whether the vote on Issue 1 was truly about protecting the constitution or if it was primarily about abortion rights.

How did Ohio’s rejection of the Republican proposal impact anti-abortion groups and their effort to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution?

Ohio has rejected a Republican proposal to raise the requirements for changing the state’s constitution, dealing a blow to anti-abortion groups. The state’s Republican-controlled legislature had aimed to increase the threshold for constitutional amendments from a simple majority to 60%. This move was widely seen as an effort to thwart a planned referendum that would enshrine abortion rights in the constitution.

President Joe Biden hailed the rejection as a win for democracy and women’s rights. He criticized the Republican-backed proposal as a “blatant attempt to silence voters and further undermine women’s freedom to make their own healthcare decisions.”

The push for stricter rules on constitutional amendments came after the US Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate nationwide abortion rights last year. Ohio subsequently introduced a ban on the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, although it is currently suspended due to a legal challenge.

Pro-choice groups in Ohio are now focusing on the November elections to overturn the abortion ban by securing the right to abortion in the state’s constitution.