Please help people be ready to vote on August 8 special election!
Postcards are available, that you can fill out and send encouraging folks to Vote No on Issue 1. Talk to Laurie Albright if you need information or have questions.
Protect Choice Ohio is encouraging people to check their voter registration. Changes need to be made by July 10.
Board of Elections staff are requesting people vote by mail for the August 8 election. Get your request in now, so they have as much processing time as possible. You can go online to print a form and mail it in. https://boe.cuyahogacounty.gov/voters/vote-by-mail
See this link for the the August 8 election Schedule:
https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/current-voting-schedule/2023-schedule/
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See BallotPedia explanation of Ohio Issue 1:
Ohio Issue 1, the 60% Vote Requirement to Approve Constitutional Amendments Measure is on the ballot in Ohio as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on August 8, 2023.
| A “yes” vote supports amending the Ohio Constitution to: require a 60% majority from voters to approve a constitutional amendment;require initiative petitions proposing a constitutional amendment to be signed by at least 5% of the electors in each of Ohio’s 88 counties, rather than in 44 counties, though still require signatures from 10% of the electors that have voted for governor in the previous gubernatorial election; and remove the 10 day period for petitioners to gather additional signatures for a constitutional amendment if they filed an insufficient amount of signatures. |
| A “no” vote opposes amending the Ohio Constitution regarding constitutional amendments, thus upholding the status quo of requiring a simple majority (50.01%) from voters to approve a constitutional amendment, requiring initiative petitions proposing a constitutional amendment to both be signed by at least 10% of the electors that have voted for governor in the previous gubernatorial election and 5% of the electors in 44 counties, and keeping the 10 day period for petitioners to gather additional signatures for a constitutional amendment if they filed an insufficient amount of signatures. |
Overview
What would this amendment do?
See also: Constitutional changes
This amendment would require a 60% majority from voters to approve an amendment to the constitution. Currently, Ohio requires a simple majority requirement from voters to approve a constitutional amendment. This amendment would also require initiative petitions proposing a constitutional amendment to be signed by at least 5% of the electors in each of Ohio’s 88 counties, rather than in 44 counties, though still require signatures from 10% of the electors that have voted for governor in the previous gubernatorial election. The amendment would also remove the ten day period for petitioners to gather additional signatures for a constitutional amendment if they filed an insufficient amount of signatures.
Do other states have supermajority requirements for constitutional amendments?
See also: Majority requirements for constitutional amendments
Out of the 49 states that require voter approval in order to amend the constitution (Delaware is the only state that does not require voter approval for constitutional amendments), 38 states require a simple majority vote (50%+1) for a proposed constitutional amendment to be adopted. In the 11 other states, voters must approve a proposed constitutional amendment by more than a simple majority or by some rule that combines different criteria. Florida and Illinois both require a 60% supermajority to approve constitutional amendments (in Illinois, the amendment must win a supermajority vote of 60 percent of those voting on the question or a majority of those who cast a ballot for any office in that election), and Colorado requires a supermajority of 55%.
What are the arguments for and against this amendment?
In support of the amendment, State Sen. Robert McColley and State Rep. Brian Stewart said: “By passing Issue 1, the People will ensure constitutional changes are widely accepted and declare that Ohio’s Constitution is not for sale. Currently, special interests target Ohio, seeking to inject their own personal views and objectives into our state’s most sacred document. Why? Because Ohio is one of the few states that allow these interests to directly enshrine their social preferences and corporate motives into the Constitution at the same threshold as everyday laws. Common sense tells us that this should not be the case. Instead, our constitutional rights should be broadly supported and shielded from well-financed special interests.”[1]
In opposition to the amendment, State Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson, State Sen. Vernon Sykes, State Rep. Dontavius Jarrells, State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney, and State Rep. Dani Isaacsohn said: “This amendment would destroy citizen-driven ballot initiatives as we know them, upending our right to make decisions that directly impact our lives. It takes away our freedom by undermining the sacred principle of ‘one person, one vote’ and destroys majority rule in Ohio. Last year, Ohio politicians eliminated August special elections saying, “Interest groups often manipulatively put issues on the ballot in August because they know fewer Ohioans are paying attention.” And yet here we are, voting in August on just one question: should Ohio permanently abolish the basic constitutional right of majority rule? Special interests and corrupt politicians say yes. They don’t like voters making decisions, so they’re trying to rewrite the rules to get what they want: even more power.”[2]
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