COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Democrats announced today that they have submitted a total of 100,637 signatures from citizens across all 88 counties in a bid to secure an abortion rights initiative on the ballot for this coming November. The move is seen as a concerted effort by Democrats and their partners in the reproductive rights sector to reinforce and protect abortion rights in the state.
The Chair of the Ohio Democrats, Elizabeth Walters, commented on the signature gathering effort, “Ohio Democrats are proud to work with our partners in the reproductive rights space and do our part to get abortion rights on the ballot this November. As we wait for these signatures to be verified and approved, we’re already out in communities across the state fighting for reproductive rights by urging Ohioans to vote NO on August 8 so we can tell radical Republicans in November: we won’t go back.”
The signature collection process has been a grassroots, volunteer-driven initiative with support from Ohio Democrats and County Parties. To secure the initiative on the November ballot, more than 400,000 valid signatures need to be submitted to Ohio’s Secretary of State. This indicates that while substantial progress has been made, there is still considerable work ahead.
At the same time as they’ve been gathering signatures, Ohio Democrats have also been organizing across the state to urge citizens to vote against Issue 1 in the upcoming August election. They characterize this issue as a political power grab by unscrupulous politicians and special interests, aimed at undermining the efforts to protect abortion rights in November.
Ohio Democrats’ ongoing campaign reflects a determined attempt to safeguard and champion reproductive rights. The coming months will reveal whether their efforts resonate with the wider Ohioan population as they work towards their ultimate goal of protecting abortion rights.