Ohio Issue 1

Ohio Issue 1 was a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment that appeared on a special election ballot in Ohio on August 8, 2023. The measure sought to raise the threshold for passing future amendments to the Ohio Constitution from a simple majority to a 60% supermajority. It was placed on the ballot by the Ohio General Assembly and was widely seen as a preemptive effort to influence the outcome of a separate, upcoming amendment regarding abortion rights scheduled for November 2023.

Background and context

The push for Ohio Issue 1 emerged from a Republican-controlled Ohio General Assembly led by figures like Frank LaRose and Jason Stephens. This legislative action followed the *Dobbs* decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, which returned abortion policy to the states. In Ohio, a coalition including Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights and ACLU of Ohio had successfully gathered signatures to place a constitutional amendment protecting abortion access on the November 2023 ballot. Proponents of the August measure argued a higher standard was needed to protect the foundational document from well-funded special interests, while opponents characterized it as a partisan maneuver to thwart the will of the majority on issues like reproductive rights and minimum wage.

Provisions of the measure

The proposed amendment contained several key provisions that would have altered the process for amending the Ohio Constitution. Primarily, it would have increased the vote requirement for approving any future constitutional amendment from 50% plus one to 60%. Furthermore, it would have significantly raised the signature-gathering requirements for citizen-initiated amendments, mandating that petitions secure signatures from at least 5% of the electors in **every** county (88 counties), rather than the current requirement of 44 counties. The measure also eliminated the existing ten-day "cure period" that allows petitioners to gather additional signatures if their initial submission is found deficient.

Support and opposition

The campaign in favor, called **Protect Our Constitution**, was led by Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and supported by groups like Citizens for Christian Virtue and the Buckeye Institute. They were joined by national organizations including the Heritage Foundation and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. They argued the change would protect the constitution from deep-pocketed out-of-state interests and ensure broad consensus for permanent changes. The opposition campaign, **One Person One Vote**, comprised a broad, bipartisan coalition including the Ohio Democratic Party, the state Republican Party's former chair Jane Timken, and former governors Bob Taft and Richard Celeste. Organizations like the AFL–CIO, Ohio Farmers Union, and League of Women Voters also opposed, arguing it was a power grab that would silence citizens and make direct democracy nearly impossible.

Campaign and funding

The campaign was one of the most expensive in Ohio history for an August election. The **Protect Our Constitution** committee received substantial funding from Illinois billionaire Richard Uihlein and an entity tied to the Club for Growth. The **One Person One Vote** opposition was heavily funded by the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a Washington, D.C.-based progressive dark money group. Other significant donors included the Tides Foundation and individual contributions from across the United States. Total spending exceeded $20 million, with opposition groups outraising and outspending supporters. The special election itself, called by the Ohio General Assembly, was estimated to cost the state approximately $20 million.

Election results and impact

On August 8, 2023, Ohio Issue 1 was defeated, with 57.5% of voters rejecting the measure. The proposal failed in 74 of Ohio's 88 counties, including traditionally Republican rural areas. The defeat was seen as a significant setback for Frank LaRose and legislative leaders, and a major victory for the coalition supporting the upcoming abortion rights amendment. The result cleared the path for the November 2023 abortion amendment, which subsequently passed with a majority vote, as the 60% threshold was not enacted. The outcome demonstrated strong voter support for maintaining the citizen-initiative process and influenced political strategy in other states considering similar changes to direct democracy mechanisms.

Category:2023 in Ohio Category:Ohio ballot measures Category:August 2023 events in the United States