Issue 1 will appear on ballots in Ohio until August 8 to require wide-spread support for Constitutional Amendments. Issue 1 will raise the voter threshold for new amendments and bring Ohio’s process closer to most other states. It is an effort to limit the impact special interests have on our system, who arrive with deep pockets and manipulative ad buys to pollute every commercial break. Issue 1 will shrink the power special interest groups and protect Ohio’s Constitution. The current system, which only requires a simple majority of 50%+1 vote, was not originally included when Ohio was founded. It evolved prior to the advent of modern media and today’s political climate, and its time for a change.
Historical context & how other states compare?
The existing threshold is an antiquated vestige of a bygone era when life was much different for Ohioans, before the days mass media, television, radio, or even rural electrification. It appeared well before our current political landscape of intense polarization or the rise & influence of special interest groups. Today’s system is fraught with strategies that are harmful to our democratic and republic-based ideals. It incentivizes negative and untruthful tactics to manipulate voters. Throughout our history, especially in recent years, special interest and extreme activists have used the current amendment threshold to attempt new laws that are, at their core, polarizing and sensational, or purely in the service of special interests.
Proponents of Issue 1 understand the importance and value of protecting Ohio’s Constitution from special interests. In-so this proposal will require wide-spread support for new amendments to our founding document by raising the voter threshold to 60%+1 vote. This will bring stability to the process and reduce the impact of manipulative advertising. Only sixteen other states join Ohio in even allowing citizen led Constitutional Amendments; several of which have more stringent requirements to ratify. Voting YES on Issue 1 ensures that citizen led Constitutional Amendments have support throughout Ohio and enshrine into law only positions held by a wide & inclusive majority of Ohioans. Issue 1 will bring Ohio’s process in closer alignment with most other states, and more closely reflect the U.S Constitution, which requires a 66% threshold of states to ratify new amendments.
Why the left-wing push-back?
Even though Issue 1 would reduce the influence of manipulative out-of-state advertising in ballot led amendments, and still offer less-stringent amendment process than most other states; it faces intense partisan opposition. Issue 1 has been endorsed by a broad coalition of non-partisan grassroots advocacy groups such as the Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio Chamber of Commerce, and many others. One could easily assume that with such a commonsense, good government proposal, Issue 1 would enjoy broad bipartisan support; but unfortunately, they would be wrong. Why?
This November, Ohio voters may face what is unquestionably the most polarizing and controversial ballot led initiative in its history. An amendment to enshrine abortion access, with no restrictions, regardless of the term and development of child, into Ohio’s Constitution. This extreme measure would eliminate the rights for parental consent for minors and allow for taxpayer funded abortions during the third trimester pregnancy. The broad language of the November initiative, invoking “reproductive rights,” would strip parents of their right to make health decisions with their child in issues as polarizing and severe as child sex changes.
According to polling data performed by Gallup in May 2023, only 31% of respondents support unrestricted abortion access. The November ballot proposal would ingrain the most extreme position into Ohio law. Without widespread support from voters, out-of state special interests will attempt to buy a simple majority by employing manipulative & untruthful advertising funded by dark money. Ironically, the loudest activists against raising the voter threshold, enforce strict rules to amend their own bylaws. Groups such as the Ohio Democratic Party, League of Women Voters, and others, are hypocritical in their designs to impose a threshold that their own organizations do not employ.
YES on Issue 1 protects Ohio’s Constitution and reduces the eroding impact of special interest.
During this time of extreme polarization and unrelenting dark money groups pushing extreme agendas, Ohioans should ask: “What’s really at stake?”
Regardless of where we, as friends and neighbors, fall upon a particular issue; an effort to achieve widespread support to change Ohio’s Constitution is a noble one. A simple majority, bought and paid for by out-of-state special interests, is a threat to everyone on either side of the aisle.
Issue 1 will promote inclusive statewide engagement, encourage more nuanced discussion, seek wide-spread support for new amendments, and better align Ohio’s Constitution with other states and the US Constitution. Protect Ohio’s Constitution, vote YES on Issue 1.
David Glass is the Chairman of the Ross County Republican Party and serves on the Ohio Republican Party State Central Committee, representing a significant portion of Southern Ohio. He is a candidate for Ross County Commissioner (2024) and lives in the Northeastern corner of Ross County with his wife and their four children.