Ohio Votes to Enshrine Abortion Rights in State Constitution
Key Highlights :
Ohioans voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to enshrine protections for reproductive health services, including abortion, in the state constitution. The results follow a long, bitter and expensive campaign that shows the continuing resonance of the issue more than a year after Roe v. Wade was overturned and the strength of ballot measures as a tool for advancing abortion rights in GOP-dominated states. Supporters of Ohio Issue 1 cheered as the results came in at a watch party hosted by Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights on Nov. 7, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio.
The anti-abortion camp had a myriad of advantages heading into Election Day, including Gov. Mike DeWine cutting ads for the “No” campaign calling the ballot measure “extreme.” The official website for the GOP-controlled state legislature also published posts claiming the amendment would “legalize abortion on demand at any stage of pregnancy” and allow for “the dismemberment of fully conscious children.” Secretary of State and Senate hopeful Frank LaRose also crafted a ballot summary that abortion rights supporters decried as biased and misleading.
Despite these advantages, abortion rights groups raked in triple the donations and purchased significantly more TV time than their opponents. Most of the money on both sides came from out of state, with a group affiliated with Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America providing more than half of the funding for the anti-abortion campaign. The abortion rights referendum also benefited from the support of thousands of members of the state’s influential medical community.
The resounding victory shows the continuing resonance of the issue more than a year after Roe v. Wade was overturned and the strength of ballot measures as a tool for advancing abortion rights in GOP-dominated states. Abortion rights advocates who campaigned for the amendment said they hope it will do more than merely maintain current law allowing the procedure up until 22 weeks of pregnancy.
Conservatives fear that Ohio will follow Michigan, which is now debating rolling back some abortion restrictions following passage of its own referendum in 2022. But the balance of power in Ohio is vastly different from Michigan, and the odds of stripping away abortion restrictions are slim even in the wake of the measure’s passage. The Ohio state legislature is likely to keep its Republican supermajority for the foreseeable future after maps favoring GOP lawmakers were approved earlier this year. The state’s supreme court is also dominated by conservatives.
Ohio’s vote to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution serves as a reminder of the strength of ballot measures as a tool for advancing abortion rights in GOP-dominated states. Despite the anti-abortion camp’s myriad of advantages, the abortion rights movement won a resounding victory, showing the continuing resonance of the issue more than a year after Roe v. Wade was overturned.
