Local residents react to Issue 1 passage

Nov. 9—Ohioans voted in favor of Issue 1 on Tuesday, with unofficial election results from the Ohio Secretary of State's office showing the constitutional amendment protecting abortion access passing with 56.6 percent of the vote.

In Ashtabula County, the margin of victory was narrower, with "yes" receiving 54.3 percent of county votes, according to preliminary results.

Susan Hagan, Ashtabula County Democratic Party chair and a proponent of Issue 1, said she is incredibly pleased with the result.

"Not because I'm the leader of the Democratic Party, I'm pleased because all people came out in support of a woman's right to her reproductive rights," she said. "All people came out, Republicans, Democrats and independents, across our state and in Ashtabula County, to just say what the Republicans put out was incredibly too much, too extreme."

People want their personal decisions to be left to themselves, Hagan said.

"I am overwhelmed," she said. "I think this sends a message very clearly, not only on this issue, but on any issue, where you take things to the extreme, that is not where the majority of Americans and the majority of people in Ashtabula County stand."

Hagan said Issue 1 won big in Ashtabula County, and it is not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue, it's a rights issue.

"I'm so excited," she said.

In Ashtabula County, election turnout was just over 50 percent, according to the Board of Elections. In the November 2019 election, which, like Tuesday's election, was one year before a presidential election, voter turnout was just over 33 percent, significantly lower than Tuesday's turnout.

Crystal Latimer, president of Ashtabula County Friends for Life, said the result of the election was tragic.

"It's devastating for babies, and for women's' health and safety," she said. "It's supposed to help their health and safety, but it's going to be bad for their health and safety."

Latimer said she expects many of the state requirements on abortion, like having a doctor perform the procedure and a required 24-hour waiting period, to be removed by the amendment when it goes into effect.

"This wipes the whole slate clean," she said.

Latimer said everything has been upside down.

"I think most people that voted for it don't really understand it, don't really know what's going to happen," she said.

The result of Tuesday's election is very sad, in many different ways, Latimer said.

The CEO of Ohio Right to Life will be speaking at Ashtabula County Friends for Life's annual dinner, Latimer said, and she is looking forward to what he has to say.

"I don't know what the next steps will be," she said.

Latimer said as disappointing as the vote was, the pro-life movement is not giving up.

"We will continue to fight the good fight," she said. "It's a matter of life and death."