Ohio politicians and organizations are sharing their reactions after voters rejected Issue 1 Tuesday.
Ohio will maintain its existing simple majority requiring 50 percent plus one vote to pass a constitutional amendment in the state.
Those against the issue have been the first to send their reactions to the outcome.
“By rejecting State Issue 1, Ohioans rejected special interests and demanded that democracy remain where it belongs – in the hands of voters, not the rich and powerful,” Sen. Sherrod Brown said.
President Joe Biden also issued a statement in reaction to the decision.
“Today, Ohio voters rejected an effort by Republican lawmakers and special interests to change the state’s constitutional amendment process. This measure was a blatant attempt to weaken voters’ voices and further erode the freedom of women to make their own healthcare decisions. Ohioans spoke loud and clear, and tonight democracy won,” he wrote.
Organizations such as NARAL Pro-Choice America also voiced their support.
“Ohioans’ support for abortion access and reproductive freedom was never in question. From defeating Issue 1 tonight to submitting nearly twice the amount of signatures needed to get a measure protecting abortion access on the ballot in November, Ohio voters have made clear that they will settle for nothing less than reproductive freedom for all,” a spokesperson for NARAL Pro-Choice America said.
While others, such as National Right to Life said the vote would promote “dubious values.”
“Changing the Ohio constitution should require a higher vote threshold than a simple majority,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “Sadly, voters rejected raising the threshold and opened the door to outside interest groups coming into Ohio and promoting their dubious values.”
Secretary of State Frank LaRose called the outcome “an assault coming on our constitution”:
“The radical activists that opposed Issue 1 are already planning amendments to shut parents out of a child’s life-altering medical procedure, force job killing wage mandates on small businesses, prevent law abiding citizens from protecting their families and remove critical protections for our first responders. I’ve said for months now that there’s an assault coming on our constitution, and that hasn’t changed,” LaRose statement said in part.
Now that Issue 1 has failed, the focus will go to November’s election where voters will decide on amending the state constitution to add abortion rights to it.
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