Ohio voters are heading to the polls Tue. to decide whether or not to raise the threshold to amend the state constitution.
What's on the ballot? State Issue 1, a GOP-backed measure that would make it harder to amend Ohio's state constitution.
Under current rules, constitutional amendments need a simple majority to pass; Issue 1 would raise the threshold to 60%.
That's not all: Issue 1 would also require petitioners to gather signatures from all of Ohio's 88 counties. (WP)
What would a "YES" or "NO" vote do? 👍YES: Raise ballot initiative threshold to 60% 👎NO: Keep simple majority threshold
Why is this happening? Critics have blasted the measure as a preemptive attempt to block an abortion rights amendment.
This Nov., Ohio voters will vote on a ballot measure enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution. (WP)
The amendment was certified in July after abortion rights advocates collected 495K+ signatures from 55 counties. (OCR)
If passed, Issue 1 would scrap plans for the amendment, forcing petitioners to gather more signatures before Nov.. (WP)
Who supports Issue 1? Ohio Republicans in both Congress and the state legislature have voiced their support for Issue 1.
Ohio SOS Frank LaRose said in June that Issue 1 was "100%" about keeping abortion rights out of the Ohio constitution.(OCJ)
LaRose: "It’s 100% about keeping a radical pro-abortion amendment out of our constitution." (Ohio Capital Journal)
Who opposes Issue 1? Several Ohio Democrats have criticized the measure as undemocratic, such as Rep. Joyce Beatty:
Will Issue 1 pass? So far, it looks unlikely: only 35% of Ohioans support Issue 1, per a FiveThirtyEight poll average.