Issue 1

The fight over the proposed abortion rights amendment on the November ballot picks up now that Issue 1 has been decided.

Voters in Tuesday’s special election overwhelmingly defeated Issue One – opting to keep the status quo of a simple majority to amend Ohio’s constitution. Now, attention shifts to November 7 and efforts to enshrine abortion access and reproductive rights into the state constitution.

Voters in Ohio have strongly defeated Issue 1 on Tuesday, which would have made it harder to amend the state’s constitution, according to the Associated Press’ projections.

More people have already voted early in this August election than the total who voted in the legislative primary last August, and more than the total number of early voters in the May 2022 primaries for U.S. Senate and governor.

The only question on Tuesday's statewide ballot in Ohio is Issue 1, which would make it harder to pass future constitutional amendments and will make it next to impossible for citizens and groups to get amendments to the ballot at all.

Election Day is tomorrow in Ohio, and Issue 1 is the sole ballot item. That single issue will determine how high a hurdle the abortion/reproductive rights issue on the November ballot must clear to pass.

The last two days of early voting result in a few long lines as voters cast ballots on a proposed change to Ohio's constitution that would make it harder to pass future amendments.

Churches and religious organizations are taking different stands on Issue 1, the proposal to change the constitution to make it harder to pass future constitutional amendments.

Ohio voters have until Sunday to vote on Issue 1, a proposal to make it harder to change the constitution, with Election Day on Aug. 8.

The campaigns for and against Issue 1 are spending millions of dollars on TV ads to get voters to the polls. On this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson talks with Herb Asher, retired Ohio State University political science professor.