From now until August 8, 2023, Ohio Right to Life, alongside many others, will dedicate their time and efforts towards getting as many pro-life, pro-liberty Ohioans out to vote YES on Issue 1. For this reason, we do not claim to speak for any individual bishop or the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Protesters demonstrate against the legislative initiative that became State Issue 1. This article details that fight, which has intensified after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. Eliminating loopholes allowing fraudulent petitioners excess time to collect signatures. (Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com. Our Founding Fathers intended to make it hard to amend the Constitution: It takes a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress and three-fourths of the states to amend the US Constitution, for example. In general, if the issue passes, Ohio would have some of the toughest geographic-based signature requirements of any of the 17 U.S. states that allow citizens to propose state constitutional amendments. Many people have heard about this amendment in regards to abortion issues, but by itself, Issue 1 does not mention abortion. The signature-gathering requirements would take effect in January. Absentee Ballot Applications can be found at VoteOhio.gov and MUST be postmarked to your County Board of Elections by Tuesday, August 1st. A no vote would reject it. Thats in addition to editorials and other opinion content. Enshrining abortion removes the most foundational right that any of us havethe right to life. A yes vote on Issue 1 means it will take a least a 60 percent vote to amend Ohio's constitution. You may also request your absentee ballot before August 1. July 6 - This article highlights a recent law change that, for the first time, requires voters to fill out a specific state-issued form when requesting an absentee ballot. Ohios current requirement that a certain amount of signatures be collected in half of the states counties is more in keeping with what other states require, said John Dinan, a Wake Forest University professor and expert on state constitutional amendments. A cleveland.com / Plain Dealer reporter interviewed some of the first voters who showed up to cast their ballots at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. I dont believe in abortion if they dont wanna have kids then they shouldnt have open there legs srry to say so Im against abortion all the way. Republican lawmakers put forward Issue 1 ahead of a possible November amendment that could allow voters to enshrine abortion rights into the constitution. Finally, the amendment seeks to raise the voting threshold to a 60/40 majority vote instead of a simple majority that the state currently requires. They argue that even if Republican lawmakers tied their own hands by outlawing August elections, they should be able to set an August election to decide State Issue 1 anyway. Mike DeWine said he plans to vote for a proposed constitutional amendment that could make it harder. The Board of Elections will send you a ballot to cast your Yes vote on Issue 1 and return to the Board. Sign up for regular updates, request a yard sign, and actively engage in preserving our constitutional values. Clickhereto learn more about voting in Ohio and find your early voting location. The argument for State Issue 1 Two Republican lawmakers tasked with preparing the official "for" argument say the changes will prevent "deep-pocketed, out-of-state interests" from injecting. July 11 - Early voting begins for the Aug. 8 election. While elections officials clarified later in the day that they actually can accept the applications, since they were an old version of a state-issued form, the forms include outdated information that could lead voters to see their applications rejected. This article summarizes their arguments, and included a chart showing state-by-state constitutional amendment rules. Ohio Chamber of Commerce CEO Steve Stivers, a former Republican congressman, said his organizations board voted to endorse the measure primarily because it would impose tougher signature-gathering requirements for citizen groups trying to propose amendments. But theyre being paid for by Protect Ohio Women, the campaign group working to defeat the potential abortion-rights amendment in November. Volunteer as a poll worker or watcher from July 11th until Election Day. Deeply troubling, this act kills the idea of "middle school" and its research-based tenants of advancing developmentally and culturally responsive education. It also describes how similar proposals failed in 2022 in Arkansas and South Dakota, and how another similar proposal fizzled in Missouri ahead of an expected vote on abortion rights there. Its the size of a phone book. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our. 0:35 Nearly 60% of Ohio voters oppose an August ballot measure that would make it harder to change the constitution, according to a new poll. July 19 - A cleveland.com / Plain dealer analysis of data from the Ohio Secretary of States Office show a surge of early voting across the state compared to the May and August elections in 2022. Issue 1 is a constitutional amendment about constitutional amendments. The projection cut against public talking points from pro-Issue 1 state lawmakers, who deflected concerns from critics that they had set an August election as a strategic ploy by predicting that turnout would be better than people expected. Restoring trust & confidence in our states guiding document, making it no longer vulnerable to the political winds of our day. All rights reserved (About Us). Some Republicans say yes. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The fraught politics of abortion have helped turn an August ballot question in Ohio that would make it harder to change the state constitution into a cauldron of misinformation and fear-mongering.. State Issue 1, the sole question on the ballot, calls for raising the threshold for passing future changes to the Ohio Constitution from a simple majority to 60%. More: 'Power-hungry hypocrites' trying to con Ohio. I will be voting "Yes" on State Issue 1, to change the requirement to 60% voter acceptance to amend the state of Ohio Constitution. There is nothing radical about requiring a 60% vote to amend the State Constitution. State Issue 2 would make clear that a city's home rule does not override the requirement that only adult U.S. citizens can vote. Some Republicans say yes, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Steve Stivers, CEO, Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Feel free to contact us with any questions.Emailaction@voteyesohio.com. State Issue 2, which would change the state constitution if a majority votes "yes", proposes that . If Issue 1 doesnt pass, it could be the size of a stack of phone books, Mercer added. Mike DeWine said he plans to vote for a proposed constitutional amendment that could make it harder to pass future changes to the states founding document. Demonstrators protest against what became State Issue 1 outside the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus in May. In a Democracy, Voters Must Decide The purpose of Issue 1 is as simple as it is disturbing. Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer has been publishing multiple news articles a week since mid-May, highlighting the proposals details and how it fits into the national picture surrounding citizen-initiated ballot issues. VOTE BY ABSENTEE. This stops billionaire, anti-gun zealots from imposing New York style. The groups coalition includes organized labor groups, voting-rights groups, abortion-rights advocates and the Ohio Democratic Party, as well as several recent former Republican governors and state attorneys general. June 28 - Bob Taft, the Republican who served as Ohio governor from 1999 until 2007, speaks as an opponent of Issue 1 at a voter event in Dayton. Here is a list, along with a brief summary, of all of our news coverage. 50% Off Unlimited Digital Access. June 14 - In response to the courts June 12 decision, the Ohio Ballot Board approves new ballot language for State Issue 1. Dcouvrez comment nous utilisons vos donnes personnelles dans notre Politique de confidentialit et notre Politique relative aux cookies. DeWine said he's looked at arguments for Issue 1 made by Ohio's business community that people outside the state can come in and "spend a ton of money to impact" Ohio's constitution. Go to voteohio.gov TODAY to register to vote and request your Absentee Ballot! Im not sure the Ohio constitution would fit in Paul Bunyans pocket. So that's why I'll vote for it.". According to the Ohio Secretary of State's office, you must register or update your voter registration no later than 30 days prior to an election. So, it seems that CVS is concerned more about their investors than their patients. Yellow Springs officials argue that there are legitimate reasons to let noncitizens vote in municipal elections, adding that its county board of elections is able to handle different ballots for noncitizens. Although it was very early in the campaign, it foreshadowed how both sides would not make abortion central to their public arguments, despite the looming ballot issue that caused lawmakers to put Issue 1 up for a vote. Ohio Issue 2, the Citizenship Voting Requirement Amendment, was on the ballot in Ohio as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 8, 2022. May 30 - One Person One Vote fleshes out the arguments in its May 24 lawsuit, saying in a court filing that Ohio Republicans disregarded recent precedents when deciding not to describe the current rules for Ohio constitutional amendments when describing Issue 1s effects in the ballot summary language. Of the 126 that passed, 50 failed to clear 60%, including recent votes legalizing casino gambling and hiking the state minimum wage. They don't like voters making decisions, so they're trying to rewrite the rules to get what they want: even more power. What you need to know before you cast a ballot. That's why amending the U.S. Constitution is hard, requiring support from two-thirds of the House and Senate and three-fourths of the states. A Vote for Issue 1 is a Vote For: Requiring 60% of voter approval before passing an amendment. The 50% requirement has been good . Raising this threshold does not take away the idea of one person, one vote, as some campaigns claim it does. The Issue 1 amendment seeks to require at least five percent of the electors of each county based on the total vote in the county for governor in the last preceding election. Framers intend to make sure each county has a voice in constitutional amendments, instead of allowing heavily populated areas to control the ballot. According to 2020 U.S. Census data, about 2% of Ohio residents are not U.S. citizens. Lorsque vous utilisez nos sites et applications, nous utilisons des, authentifier les utilisateurs, appliquer des mesures de scurit, empcher les spams et les abus; et. Our campaign has garnered significant endorsements from a multitude of diverse groups across Ohio. Mike DeWine said he plans to vote for a proposed constitutional amendment that could make it harder to pass future changes to the state's founding document. Out of all 50 states, only eighteen allow what are called initiated constitutional amendments. These citizen-initiated amendments must have a certain amount of signatures on a petition from registered voters to make it to the ballot box. Related story: Who to believe on Ohios Issue 1? The group, called Protect Our Constitution, is led by Republican state legislative leaders, and is a coalition of Republican elected officials, business groups, anti-abortion groups and gun-rights activists. In the article "Ohio AG: Colleges could be liable if they violate ban," Ohio AG Yost threatens to prosecute colleges giving minorities a foot up. Eliminating loopholes allowing fraudulent petitioners excess time to collect signatures. It serves to change the requirements in Ohio to pass an initiated constitutional amendment. A constitution, on the other hand, is a general framework for structuring and operating government, outlining the obligations and limitations of its power, including protections for the rights of its citizens. June 14 - Elections officials in Cuyahoga County, unsure of whether voter turnout will be low or high, brace for a potentially costly Aug. 8 election. This despite pleas by all credible professional educators and experts that this move will hurt youth and our profession. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce, the Ohio Restaurant Association, the Ohio Hotel and Lodging Association and the Ohio Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business have all endorsed Issue 1. Your participation matters. This. Voters will decide whether to approve State Issue 1 during a statewide election on Aug. 8. But their demagoguery ignores a common-sense principle: Unlike ordinary laws, a constitution should be hard to change. It is meant to be a contract that holds the people together despite our differences, said CatholicVote associate editor Erika Ahern. July 11 - Participants in a conservative, pro-Issue 1 forum outside of Columbus describe the election in existential terms, describing Issue 1 as a bulwark against a liberal effort to destroy the family unit.. "American elections are only for American citizens, and the cities in other states that have granted noncitizens the right to vote in local elections are undermining the value of what it means to be an American," LaRose previously said. Early Voting Starting: Please Vote Yes on Issue 1. July 20 - This analysis explores what effect State Issue 1 could have on the U.S. Senate campaign of one of the issues most prominent backers, Secretary of State Frank LaRose. Issue 1 would require future amendments to the state constitution to get 60% approval in a statewide vote to pass, compared to the current, longstanding 50% plus-one vote standard. The first piece of irony appeared on the front page of the July 13edition. The amendment, if. This is consistent with the way that the federal government amends the Constitution of the United States: For an amendment to be made to the national constitution, two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate must support the amendment or two-thirds of the states shall call a convention for the proposed amendment. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 7/1/2023). The Ohio Constitution already states that "every citizen of the United States, of the age of eighteen years and has been registered to vote for thirty days is entitled to vote at all elections." The constitution should be simple. A news release emphasizes its support from four major Ohio business groups, including the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, but key members of its coalition also includes anti-abortion advocates, gun-rights advocates and the Ohio Republican Party. June 6 - This article offered questions and answers about how and when voters can cast their ballots for the Aug. 8 election, including again highlighting changes to state voting laws Republican legislators approved the previous December. But in 1917, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that the state constitution's "home rule" which gives cities the ultimate say over its own local affairs allowed municipalities to expand voting rights in city elections. July 17 - Elections officials report a flood of voters casting early, in-person ballots at the Cuyahoga County Board of elections in Cleveland. All rights reserved (About Us). Out-of-state abortion advocates are [] Noncitizens who don't cancel their registration after a second notice can face felony charges. Vote Yes on Issue 1: Empower the People, Protect the Constitution By Rob McColley, Ohio Lawyer, July 1, 2023 Issue 1 is about empowering Ohioans and protecting our state's constitution. The Ohio Constitution is our most important document that protects the rights of all Ohioans. The focus will be on protecting the constitution from special interests, said one person with knowledge of the presentation who spoke with cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. We must vote YES on Issue 1 on August 8, 2023. Issue 1 would also require citizens and groups to collect signatures for future amendments from all 88 counties, not 44 as in law now. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. July 7 - Lee Weingart, the unsuccessful 2022 Republican candidate for Cuyahoga County executive, announces his opposition to State Issue 1 on social media. Issue 1 is a constitutional amendment about constitutional amendments. Andrew Tobias covers state politics and government for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. To contact NRA-ILA call 800-555-5555. As responsible citizens, THE VOTERS must raise the bar for amending it and make sure that any future amendments are supported by more than just a simple majority. Watch Video: Issue 1 forum: What you need to know about the statewide issue, 'Power-hungry hypocrites' trying to con Ohio. afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 7/1/2023). Colorado, Florida and Alabama approved ballot measures in 2020 clarifying that only U.S. citizens can vote. These endorsements demonstrate the widespread support and belief in our mission, further propelling us towards a brighter future for all Ohioans. June 1 - This article details a private fundraising pitch given by the pro-Issue 1 campaign to a group of top Columbus lobbyists, in which Issue 1 backers said they would avoid describing the measures effects on the potential abortion-rights amendment in November. But it was the signature issues that put us over the top that made us want to support this, Stivers said. No noncitizens in Yellow Springs have registered to vote since then. The ballot issue is merely addressing a voter base who believes in unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud, and it targets negative rhetoric at immigrant communities, said the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund. But it is a process that certainly calls for a few hoops to go over, or go through. That's also why 39 states (78%) do not allow initiated constitutional amendments at all, including liberal states such as New York, Washington, and New Hampshire. Ohio officials long have debated tightening the state constitutional amendment process. A USA TODAY Network/Suffolk University poll released. July 14 - After increasing grumbling from conservative activists, the pro-Issue 1 side launches its first TV ads of the campaign. Abortion opponents in Ohio say that Issue 1, if it works, could be shown to be a playbook for Republican legislators who hope to head off abortion-rights ballot issues in other states. So is this passed and 60 percent of ohions go pro abortion, then what.. Stop the gaslighting. June 11 - This in-depth story researched the 228 proposed constitutional amendments that voters have been asked to approve since 1914, when the current system was created allowing citizens to directly proposed constitutional amendments. May 11 - Since Ohio rarely holds August elections, this article detailed deadlines and other key voting-related information so that Ohioans knew how and when to cast their ballot. Before state lawmakers moved forward with their plan to put the amendment on the August ballot, bipartisan former Ohio governors and attorneys general also voiced opposition to the plan. Notably absent is the Ohio Business Roundtable, another major business organization whose founder and longtime CEO later penned an op-ed opposing Issue 1. COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohio is entering the final two weeks before the special election on Aug. 8, when voters will decide whether to approve State Issue 1, which would make it harder to amend the state constitution. CatholicVote Civic Action is inspired and organized by faithful Catholic laity. June 27 - One Person One Vote makes its first major expenditure of the Issue 1 campaign, spending $1 million on a weeks worth of statewide TV ads attacking the proposal. Issue 1 asks voters if Ohio should "Require that any proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Ohio receive the approval of at least 60 percent of eligible voters voting on the proposed amendment." Certified Ballot Language f by Wews WebStaff Also included on the ballot will be this explanation of Issue 1: It also would make it harder for citizen-proposed amendments to qualify for the ballot by tightening the preliminary signature-gathering requirements groups proposing amendments must meet. Issue 1 would: There have been a few instances where noncitizens allegedly registered to vote in Ohio, for which LaRose sent criminal referrals. Vote "YES" argument prepared by Representative Brian Stewart and Senator Rob McColley. June 25 - This article, published to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, spotlights how State Issue 1 puts Ohio at ground zero of the national debate over abortion. It brings us more in line with most states and ensures broad consensus. "Issue 1 asks eligible Ohio voters to consider an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Ohio proposed by a two-thirds majority of the Ohio General Assembly. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Only 11 states allow such amendments with a simple 50%-plus-1-vote threshold. The information helps shed light on claims from campaigns for and against Issue 1 about how hard or easy Ohio makes it for citizens to propose constitutional amendments. The arguments, prepared by Republican and Democratic state lawmakers, have been released ahead of the Aug. 8 election. Request Your Absentee. US voting rights: Searchable state-by-state voters' rights; check your voter registration, Is it time to redraw Ohio's appeals court district lines? LaRose disputed that, noting the amendment is not much different from current constitutional language. And as a reminder: State Issue 1, if voters approve it, would amend the state constitution to require future amendments to get a 60% supermajority in a statewide vote in a future in order to pass. Election:US voting rights: Searchable state-by-state voters' rights; check your voter registration. . The Evangelical Christian Case for Voting Yes On Issue 1, The Truth about the Abortion Ballot Initiative this November. But he didn't say why deciding that in August, which typically has low turnout, is so important. 1. Voting YES on Issue 1 strengthens our Constitution by: Elevating the standard. 2023 www.dispatch.com. In Ohio, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 10% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. Currently, these signatures must be from 44 of the 88 counties in Ohio. Ohio voters will decide this fall whether noncitizens can vote in local elections. But if Issue 1 wins approval . But he didn't say why deciding that in August, which typically has low turnout, is so important. More LOCAL to Love. Ohio voters will decide this fall whether noncitizens can vote in local elections. Thats compared to the current 50% simple majority standard thats been in place for more than a century. Posted on: I am voting no. State Issue 2, which would change the state constitution if a majority votes "yes", proposes that only adult U.S. citizens who legally reside and are registered to vote in Ohio for at least 30 days can cast a ballot in future state and local elections. Issue 1, the sole issue on the special August 8 ballot, is known as a ballot initiative. Both campaigns have an organizing framework. We need to rally against out of state interests and extreme groups who want to make their radical agenda PERMANENT in our constitution. Many states have allowed noncitizens to vote in at least some elections at some point, according to historians, and the federal law outlawing noncitizen voting was enacted only in 1996. Read all our opinion coverage before special August election. Weve listed the stories in chronological order, so you can see how the story has developed over the last few months. We are being proactive to ensure our election laws are clear and unambiguous," said state Rep. Jay Edwards, R-Nelsonville, who sponsored the amendment alongside House Majority Leader Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati. VOTE YES on August 8th! Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Here are the upcoming voter registration deadlines: The deadline to register to vote in the August 8, 2023 special election is July 10. The Motley Fool has recommended CVS Health.". May 12 - The Ohio Chamber of Commerce and other major state business groups voted to endorse what eventually became state Issue 1, citing potential future constitutional amendments that would hike the state minimum wage and bar employers from requiring vaccinations. Posted on: Friday, May 26, 2023 < < Back to COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) Gov. The ballot measure would make the first change to the state's initiative signature requirements since voters approved the process in 1912. But he didnt say why deciding that in August, which typically has low turnout, is so important. The Statehouse News Bureau | Back then, that meant a city could allow women to cast votes in local elections even though the right to vote was generally reserved for men. 50% Off Unlimited Digital Access. We cannot allow this to be stripped away. July 6 - This article shows how the official anti-Issue 1 campaign, One Person One Vote, sends a political mailer that uses controversial voter shaming tactics that political scientists have said can increase voter turnout. This second lawsuit says the language the Ohio Ballot Board approved on May 18 is improperly slanted in the proposals favor, and asks the Ohio Supreme Court to force Republicans to rewrite it. May 12 - One Person One Vote, the anti-Issue 1 campaign group, asks the Ohio Supreme Court to block the Aug. 8 election. The proposed constitutional amendment was put on the ballot by Republican lawmakers who say it's common sense that only citizens are allowed to vote, and therefore, any loopholes that could allow otherwise should be changed. A West Coast startup wants to build two nuclear power plants in southeast Ohio, Escapee Indicted By Hocking County Grand Jury, Jo Ingles | Karen Kasler | Statehouse News Bureau. A guide to voter rights in Ohio:What you need to know before you cast a ballot. Please check your e-mail for a link to activate your account. You dont bring up social issues that divide even Republicans. July 21 - The latest release of data from LaRoses office shows that early voting remains high across the state when compared to the August 2022 election. If you dont vote early, make sure you have a plan to vote in person on Election Day, August 8. May 23 - The official yes on Issue 1 campaign launches. Republicans said they did so to keep the summary as brief as possible, although Democrats and voting-rights groups said the panel did so to try to stack the deck for Issue 1s passage. The numbers put Cuyahoga County on track to exceed total turnout for the Aug. 2022 election based on the early vote alone. June 16 - The Republican majority on the Ohio Supreme Court declines to block the Aug. 8 election, ruling against One Person One Vote in the lawsuit the group filed on May 12. What spurred this ballot issue was when the village of Yellow Springs in 2019 voted to allow noncitizens to cast ballots in local elections, but Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose ordered officials to table the measure. "Vote on Issue 1 will protect Ohioans from those seeking to enact anti-business policies like the current effort to massively increase Ohio's minimum wage and eliminate the tipped wage,". They say the gerrymandered state legislature is trying to take away power from Ohioans who are frustrated with the legislature's action or inaction on certain issues. The order, issued by the courts four Republican justices, directed the ballot board though to only fix the factual errors dealing with Issue 1s signature-gathering changes, rejecting a broader appeal from anti-Issue 1 groups that the court force the ballot board to also describe Issue 1s effects in greater detail. Outside radical interest groups absolutely love how easy it is to radically change Ohios constitution.. July 10 - This article, written after a cleveland.com / Plain Dealer reporter accompanied pro and anti-Issue 1 campaigners going door-to-door, details how abortion is factoring into the election. 1:00 Ohioans will decide this summer if it should be harder to amend the state's constitution. This special election vote centers on a measure, called "Issue 1," to raise the threshold required to pass a constitutional amendment from 50%+1 to 60%. Ohio Issue 1, the 60% Vote Requirement to Approve Constitutional Amendments Measure, is on the ballot in Ohio as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on August 8, 2023 . A "yes" vote supports amending the Ohio Constitution to: increase the voter approval threshold for constitutional amendments to 60%; That is unacceptable and goes against the very nature of our nation's principles. Our state's founding document was created to protect Ohioans' liberty and freedoms, not take them away. Once one of those two things happen, three-fourths of the state legislatures must ratify the amendment as well.