one person one vote
Blame game: Issue 1 supporters pointing fingers after resounding loss
As the dust settled on election night, Republicans who led the push to restrict constitutional amendment initiatives with Issue 1 began making excuses, shifting blame and promising retribution. Instead of placing a period on a disappointing months-long campaign, they offered an ellipses — steadfastly refusing to acknowledge their effort was out of step with Ohio […]
Ohio’s Issue 1 goes down to defeat
The Republican-led effort to make amending Ohio’s constitution more difficult has failed. As of 11:45 p.m., unofficial results for the Aug. 8 special election show voters rejected Issue 1 57% to 43%. The Associated Press called the race at 9 p.m. While precincts were still reporting late into the night and absentee ballots will continue […]
Ohio amendment to curb ‘out-of-state special interests’ gets nearly all its funding from them
Roughly $35 million has flowed to political groups aiming to influence Ohio’s August special election. That includes money for campaigns for or against the ballot measure raising the threshold for constitutional amendments, as well as several closely aligned organizations. On both sides — those opposing Issue 1, those supporting it, and those technically fighting November’s […]
Ohio Ballot Board approves language for 60% amendment proposal along party lines, again
One day after an Ohio Supreme Court ruling, the Ohio Ballot Board revised the language for State Issue 1, the Aug. 8 proposal asking voters to require future constitutional amendments clear a 60% supermajority for passage. The court ordered board members to fix inaccuracies in the ballot language they adopted about a month ago. And […]
Ohio Supreme Court says Issue 1 ballot language must be rewritten
The Ohio Supreme Court handed down a ruling Monday that ordered Issue 1’s ballot language to be rewritten. This gives a small win to opponents of the proposal to make it more difficult to amend the Ohio Constitution. However, it could also give a major win to supporters. On August 8, Ohioans will decide on Issue […]
The Ohio Supreme Court has a complicated history deciding on Ballot Board cases
Last week the Ohio Supreme Court sided with the Ohio Ballot Board decision to allow an abortion rights amendment to go forward as a single question. Opponents of the effort wanted the court to split it in two, but instead the justices deferred to the Ballot Board. That’s not always the case. Going back to […]
Ballot measure making it harder to amend Ohio’s Constitution facing second lawsuit
The organization One Person One Vote has filed a new Supreme Court case related to an August amendment proposal looking to make it more difficult to change Ohio’s constitution. The organization has already challenged lawmakers’ attempt to place the question, which would raise the bar for voters to pass amendments from 50% to 60%, on […]
Ohio Ballot Board approves language for August amendment proposal despite objections
The Ohio Ballot Board has approved language for an August ballot measure from Ohio Republican lawmakers. The proposal asks voters whether to make it harder to pass future constitutional amendments by requiring 60% of the vote. The board’s two Democrats and an outside organization currently suing to block the August election criticized the ballot language […]