If you’ve been wondering why Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, whose job is supposed to be to run fair, free, accessible elections that don’t unduly favor any particular candidate, party or group of voters (I know: stop laughing!), has been promoting a package of “reforms” to strip as many citizens as possible from having input into how the state is run, the answers are starting to be clear.
One of these “reforms” is to change the citizen ballot initiative process to require passage by 60% of the vote instead of one vote over 50%. (An issue put on the ballot by the legislature would still need only 50+1, a clear demonstration of who they think should have ALL the power.) We just learned that a ballot initiative first revealed immediately after the November election is now fully rolling out.
Eight organizations in Ohio have formed a coalition called Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom to get a measure on the ballot to amend the state constitution to protect and expand reproductive rights, especially access to abortion. They include ACLU of Ohio, Abortion Fund Ohio, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, Ohio Women’s Alliance, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, Preterm-Cleveland, Pro-Choice Ohio and URGE.
There’s no timeline for the initiative yet. The organizations are working to figure out the nuts-and-bolts of the process. Meanwhile, almost simultaneously, another group called Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights, has launched Protect Choice Ohio to put together a ballot issue to start collecting signatures in February 2023 so it can be on the ballot next year.
Meanwhile, Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom says, “The campaign is prepared to launch the effort as early as November 2023, but are also realistically contending with House Joint Resolution 6, Secretary Frank LaRose’s anti-democratic proposal raising the threshold for passing citizen-initiated state constitutional amendments to 60%. Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom are confident that this effort is in direct opposition to what the people of Ohio want and are prepared to defeat the resolution should it be on the May 2023 ballot. The organizations are calling the proposal an egregious power grab that directly attacks our democratic process.”
Well, duh. This past year, six states, including the conservative states of Kansas, Kentucky and Montana, had abortion rights issues on the ballot. All passed, most with decisive margins — but only California and Vermont topped 60%. So if LaRose’s measure passes, voters could favor reproductive rights by nearly 20% — and still lose.
LaRose and his lawbreaking, democracy-hating GOP pals are likely also petrified that another issue in the talking stages could head to the ballot: a move to strip politicians of the power to draw congressional and legislative districts and put it in the hands of an independent citizen commission. That model is used in states as politically and demographically diverse as California, New York, Arizona, Idaho, Colorado, Michigan and Washington. All bar elected officials from participating and some further regulate their involvement.
The lopsided, gerrymandered districts created by Republicans on the redistricting commission to shore up their own power are the reason that the legislature can get away with passing highly restrictive abortion laws stripping women of their human rights (as well as loosening gun laws and making scapegoats of trans kids), laws the majority of Ohioans oppose.
Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom says they are talking to Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights so hopefully they’ll be combining their efforts.
When the timeline is announced and the petitions are ready, we’ll let you know. It’s important to strike back against the damage Ohio Republicans are doing to the state. In August, The New Yorker magazine ran an article titled “State Legislatures Are Torching Democracy.” Ohio was their Exhibit A.
To keep up with the ballot issue and pitch in to help, go to ProtectChoiceOhio.com.