Ohio Voters to Decide on Amendment Establishing Right to Abortion

Ohio voters will have the opportunity to vote on a proposed constitutional amendment that would establish a right to abortion in the state. This comes after supporters of the measure submitted over 495,000 valid signatures, surpassing the required number to put the question on the ballot. The amendment is set to be voted on in November.

However, proponents of the abortion rights amendment face another obstacle. Republicans in the state legislature have put forward their own ballot question that would make it harder to approve constitutional amendments. This measure, which raises the threshold of voters required to amend the state constitution to 60 percent, will be on the ballot in a special election on August 8.

The coalition behind the abortion rights measure, Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, expressed their excitement and dedication to continue the campaign to enshrine reproductive health care rights in Ohio’s Constitution. They believe that individuals deserve the right to make decisions regarding their reproductive health care without government interference.

On the other hand, anti-abortion groups view the amendment as extreme. They argue that it would permit abortion “until birth” and grant minors the right to undergo gender-transition surgery without parental consent. However, the amendment does allow the state to restrict abortion later in pregnancy and does not address gender transition.

Abortion rights advocates have increasingly turned to state ballot measures since the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade. Public opinion polls show that a majority of Americans, including those in Ohio, believe abortion should be legal in some cases. A recent poll found that 58 percent of likely Ohio voters supported the amendment establishing a right to abortion.

Ohio has become a test case for anti-abortion lawmakers and groups. The state legislature passed a law in 2019 that would ban abortion after roughly six weeks of pregnancy, and a county court judge temporarily blocked it. The proposed abortion rights amendment aims to add a right similar to the one protected by Roe v. Wade to the state constitution. It would allow the state to prohibit the procedure after the fetus is viable, generally around 23 or 24 weeks, and establish limits on abortion before viability.

In the upcoming special election on August 8, voters will decide whether to raise the threshold of yes votes necessary to amend the constitution to 60 percent. Proponents of future amendments would also need to collect signatures from at least 5 percent of voters in all 88 counties, compared to the current requirement of half the counties. Additionally, the amendment would eliminate the 10-day “curing” period that allows proponents to collect additional signatures.

While Republicans claim that the special election aims to make it more difficult to propose and pass amendments, the language on the ballot does not explicitly mention abortion. This may pose a challenge for supporters of abortion rights in mobilizing voters.

In conclusion, Ohio voters will have a significant decision to make in November regarding the establishment of a right to abortion in the state’s constitution. Both proponents and opponents of the proposed constitutional amendment are actively campaigning, with Republicans also pushing for a separate measure to make it harder to amend the state constitution. The outcome of these ballot measures will have far-reaching implications for reproductive rights in Ohio.