COLUMBUS―Ohio voters decisively rejected a closely watched proposal referred to as Issue 1 on Tuesday, delivering a significant victory to advocates of abortion rights just ahead of a November vote concerning the inclusion of reproductive rights in the Ohio Constitution.
Issue 1 sought to elevate the threshold for ratifying future amendments to the state constitution through popular vote from a simple majority of 50% plus one vote to 60%.
Sen. Sherrod Brown issued the subsequent statement to the media following Ohioans’ dismissal of State Issue 1: “Ohioans recognized this amendment for its true nature: an attempt by influential individuals to seize power and stifle public voices. By declining State Issue 1, Ohioans repudiated special interests and insisted that the principles of democracy remain in the hands of voters, rather than being controlled by the wealthy and powerful. This has consistently been my guiding principle, and I take pride in standing united with the people of Ohio in this struggle.”
In response to Issue 1’s defeat in Ohio on Tuesday, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America issued the following statement: “Ohio faces a disheartening day, one that serves as a cautionary signal for pro-life states across the nation. Substantial sums of money, often concealed, flowed into Ohio to secure a path for promoting their extreme policies in a pro-life state. Regrettably, some remained passive while external liberal organizations injected millions into Ohio. A broad coalition of dedicated pro-life Ohio residents united to combat adversaries of parental rights and endeavor to seize victory from impending loss. Yet, the absence of support from Ohio’s established institutions and business sector created an insurmountable void. In this critical election, progressive forces channeled substantial resources from external groups to misinform Ohioans. Unfortunately, assaults on state constitutions have become a recurrent strategy for the fervently pro-abortion Left at a national level. Therefore, it is imperative for all to take this threat earnestly and recognize that progressives will triumph if their rivals succumb to intimidation from the pro-abortion Left. As long as Republicans and their followers adopt a passive stance and ignore the reality, they will encounter repeated defeats.”
In Crawford County, Issue 1 received 6,473 affirming votes and 3,365 opposing votes out of a total of 9,838 votes cast. Throughout Ohio, the election results demonstrated 57% opposition and 43% support for the measure, with an aggregate of 3,059,440 votes submitted.