Voters in Ohio overwhelmingly rejected a ballot measure pushed by Republicans in the Buckeye State that would have made it harder to enshrine abortion rights in its constitution.
The victory for Democrats and reproductive rights advocates is the latest sign that their messaging on abortion is resonating with voters, even in red states like Ohio. But they acknowledge the challenges Brown faces heading into one of the most closely watched races next year.
“Every election is a battle in this state. We know that. So we will not take our focus off the fights as they come,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chairwoman Liz Walters. “But we do see valuable lessons coming out of this fight, whether that is cultivating what is the map of the future … for Ohio Democrats, which is a long-term part of our work, but more importantly, how we mobilize grassroots activists across the state for the fight in November.”
Abortion wasn’t technically on the ballot in the special election but the overwhelming defeat of a measure that would have made it tougher to enshrine abortion rights in Ohio’s state constitution this fall was the latest indicator that the issue remains a powerful force at the ballot box.
The election saw record turnout for what’s typically a sleepy August election date and sets up another battle in November when Ohio will have reproductive rights on the ballot.
“Republicans tried to cheat the voters by changing the rules by requiring ballot questions to pass with 60 percent of the vote instead of a simple majority,” said reproductive rights advocate Lisa McCormick, one of New Jersey’s most prominent progressive Democrats. “They wanted to erect barriers that could have made it more difficult to approve the abortion rights amendment that voters are likely to approve in November because Republicans are willing to do anything to win an election, except get the most votes.”
The measure voters rejected Tuesday, known as Issue 1, would have raised the threshold for the passage of future constitutional amendments to 60 percent from the current simple majority and added new restrictions that make getting a measure on the ballot more difficult.
With a lead of almost 430,000 votes against the measure, 57% of voters cast ballots to reject the GOP power play, compared with 43% in favor.
“This vote gives hope to Democrats and other abortion rights supporters who believe the issue could sway voters in 2024, when it could affect races for president, Congress, plus state and local offices, but the real battleground for abortion and other issues is the primary election,” said McCormick, who explained that lower participation in nominating contests makes each ballot more valuable than it is in a general election. “The lack of competitive districts also makes primaries the only consequential election in most jurisdictions, whether people realize that or not.”
Democrats described the victory in Ohio, a one-time battleground state that has shifted to the right, as a “major warning sign” for the GOP but McCormick said, “The political establishment likes to focus on culture war issues because things like sex, gun violence, and human rights would not cost corporations and billionaires any money while the real issue Americans must consider is economics.”