Reproductive rights activists in Ohio have gathered way more than enough signatures to put a reproductive freedom amendment to the Ohio constitution on the ballot in November. The measure would need only a simple majority to go into effect.
However the heavily gerrymandered GOP legislature is conducting a special election in August to try to pass a measure to raise the threshold to pass constitutional amendments from 50%+1 to 60%. So if the August amendment passes, the November reproductive protection amendment would then require 60% to pass.
Why 60%? This Ohio poll from last autumn just may provide an answer.
If the August rightwing GOP amendment passes with a simple majority, that would make it harder to pass the reproductive freedom amendment in November.
Summer elections usually have poor turnouts. That's why the Republican legislature broke one of its own rules about August elections to place it there.
Ohio Abortion Protection Amendment Gets Signatures Necessary for Ballot Access
With 710,141 signatures, the movement surpassed the 413,000 signature threshold to appear on the ballot in November
In practical terms, this is a two-stage ballot measure. So save these dates...
Support Reproductive Freedom in OHIO:
+ On August 8th – Vote No (on GOP blocker)
+ On November 7th – Vote Yes
If you are a legal resident of Ohio who will be 18 by August 8th, you have until 30 days before the election to register. July 10th is the registration deadline for the August election. It's usually best to register in person in case you need to sort out any issues. But if that's not possible, the Ohio Secretary of State lets you register online. Read the instructions carefully and assemble the necessary information before beginning the process.
Online Voter Registration – Ohio Secretary of State
A perennial reminder: If you have moved since the last election (even next door), you need to register at your new address. Voting is geographic.
If you're not in Ohio but have friends there, feel free to forward this information to them.
If the reproductive freedom measure passes in November then that may pave the way for other reforms such as a badly needed one on gerrymandering. It will certainly scare Republicans. 😁