Ohio Politics Explained podcast: Why Issue 1 failed and what it means for abortion vote

Anna Staver, Columbus Dispatch
Updated ·3 min read
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Aug 8, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Organizers celebrate the defeat of Issue 1 during an election night party at the Columbus Fire Fighters Local 67.
Aug 8, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Organizers celebrate the defeat of Issue 1 during an election night party at the Columbus Fire Fighters Local 67.

We break down what it all means In this week's episode of Ohio Politics Explained. A podcast created by the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau to catch you up on the state's political news in 15 minutes or less.

This week, host Anna Staver was joined by statehouse bureau chief Anthony Shoemaker.

Issue 1 failed

Ohio voters resoundingly rejected a proposal to make it harder to amend the state's constitution, voting down Issue 1 57-43% Tuesday night.

The proposed constitutional amendment would have raised the threshold for future amendments from a simple majority of 50% plus one vote to a supermajority of 60%. It also would have made it harder to get amendments on the ballot by adding new signature requirements.

But voters from both political parties rejected that idea.

A USA TODAY Network Ohio analysis of unofficial results found support for the amendment lagged behind support for former President Donald Trump in 2020 and Republican U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance in 2022.

Some traditionally conservative counties, like Delaware County north of Columbus, flipped completely. Suburban voters there rejected the measure 58-42%.

Reaction to the special election

The coalition of groups opposing Issue 1 celebrated on Tuesday night, calling the win a victory for voters and democracy.

"Tonight, Ohioans claimed a victory over out-of-touch, corrupt politicians who bet against majority rule, who bet against democracy," Ohio Democratic Party Chair Liz Walters told reporters on Tuesday. "Tonight, Ohioans everywhere have claimed a victory for the kind of state we want to see."

Folks from the vote yes coalition were more circumspect.

"I think the Republicans that decided to vote no today voted no outside of their positions on abortion, Second Amendment or small businesses," Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis said. "They'll come home. I don't think the other party is offering them anything that they want to latch on to."

All eyes on November vote on abortion

After the defeat of Issue 1 this week, Ohio's governor says it's too late for the Republican-controlled legislature to change existing abortion laws.

It's an idea he's been suggesting to state lawmakers since the groups who support abortion access began gathering signatures to codify access to birth control and abortion into Ohio's state constitution.

"It has to be something that's sustainable," DeWine said in April. "It doesn't do any good to have a law on the books and then voters say, 'Well, we don't like that law,' and have it be overridden by a law that doesn't really fit Ohio."

DeWine signed the state's heartbeat law in 2019 banning almost all abortions after fetal cardiac activity is detected. And while he didn't back away from that position, the lifelong Republican appeared to indicate he recognizes that may not be where a majority of Ohioans come down on the issue.

"We will get to a point in this state where we will have an abortion policy that a majority of people will be able to accept and say, 'yes, that's OK, I'm comfortable with that,'" he said. 'Ultimately, that is the goal."

Teeing up 2024

Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, told reporters on election night that he was open to revisiting the issue of how hard it should be to change the state's constitution

"I think we'll probably ask this question again, but perhaps not in the same kind of atmosphere that we have and have had over the past 10 or 12 months," Huffman said.

Other issues could be on the 2024 ballot as well. For example, the Raise the Wage Ohio campaign was certified earlier this year to begin gathering signatures. If passed it would increase the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour.

Listen to "Ohio Politics Explained" on Spotify, Apple, Google Podcasts and TuneIn Radio. The episode is also available by clicking the link in this article.

The USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau serves The Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

Get more political analysis by listening to the Ohio Politics Explained podcast

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio politics podcast: How Issue 1 failed, what it means for abortion