CINCINNATI — The failure of Issue 1 has some celebrating and others left disappointed.
If it passed, Issue 1 would have changed the standard to get an amendment on the ballot and pass it.
University of Cincinnati Political Science Professor David Niven said this special election was the most important election Ohio has ever had.
“An awful lot of ballot questions come and go. This is one that has lasting consequences,” Niven said. “If this would have passed it would have changed the rules for every question and every issue that voters care about, so Issue One was first and foremost a basic question of democracy if majorities are going to win if we put questions on the ballot.”
One of the groups celebrating the defeat of Issue 1 is Ohioans United for reproductive rights.
“Ohioans feel very strongly about what is happening in Ohio right now they felt strongly that Issue One was wrong and they strongly that reproductive freedom is a right that needs to be in our constitution,” Dr. Lauren Beene said.
Dr. Sri Thakkilapati added they’ll need the continued support for reproductive rights vote in November.
“We need all the support that we had for this issue. I do think voters understood this week that our vote is also about the November vote,” Thakkilapati said.
She said they need to capitalize on the momentum going into the next election.
“We have the will of the people to pass this amendment in November and we know we’re going to have to fight this battle on a number of fronts,” she said.
On the opposing front are anti-abortion organizations. Cincinnati Right to Life is disappointed this measure failed. In a statement, Executive Director Laura Strietmann said in part, “The defeat of Issue 1 was not the result we worked and prayed for. For 50 years Cincinnati Right to Life has remained steadfast and strong in defense of life.”
She said they will continue to advocate against the reproductive rights initiative.
In our region, Hamilton County was the sole county that voted to fail Issue 1. Butler, Warren and Clermont counties voted to pass it, but barely. Adams, Clinton, Highland and Brown counties voted to pass it.
“I think what stands out is Hamilton County’s no vote was bigger than a lot of the surrounding counties' yes vote,” Niven said.
Niven said this means come November it will require a simple majority of 50% to pass the reproductive rights initiative.
“One of the things we’re going to see coming out of this is a lesson for other states and other state legislatures that it’s not so easy to get voters to give away their authority over the constitution,” Niven said.
He noted he doesn’t expect Issue 1 to be on a ballot anytime soon.
“The funny thing about Issue 1 is it’s only useful in the exact moment when you’re trying to stop something. After something you don’t want happens Issue 1 would actually be the worst case scenario for Republicans, so I think for the moment they’re going to have to put Issue 1 away because they don’t want to be in a situation where in which they raise the standard for changing the Ohio Constitution and lock something into the constitution they don’t like,” he said.
However, Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman said Issue 1 will make a comeback.
"I think we'll probably ask this question again, but perhaps not in the same kind of atmosphere that we have. that we have had over the past 10 or 12 months,” Huffman said. "I don't think it will come back next year because it takes a lot of money to put a campaign on.”
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