Panicked they’re going to lose at the polls, shady Ohio Republicans filed a new lawsuit Friday asking the conservative state Supreme Court to block the abortion rights constitutional amendment from the November ballot on a technicality. I asked Celeste Perry— a now retired, celebrated voice in radio/tv and a Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame inductee— to give us the latest rundown on the battle over Choice in Ohio.
Issue One
-by Celeste Perry
Ever since last summer’s Dobb’s decision, state legislatures have been angling to restrict abortion access to women. As expected, it’s been a year of chaos, anxiety and terrible healthcare outcomes. Yes, we’ve had some victories— Kansas and Michigan come to mind— but the struggle is as real as it gets in Ohio.
In a win for reproductive healthcare, a measure to codify abortion access to the state’s constitution qualified for the November ballot. But while abortion rights activists were gathering signatures for the measure the Republican-controlled State Legislature authorized a special August election designed to change the rules governing the passage of constitutional amendments. This was a stunning, but not surprising about-face from Ohio lawmakers who last year eliminated special August elections recognizing how few people pay attention when elections are held in the summer. Not surprisingly, with abortion on the November ballot the state legislature changed its tune and the rules, authorizing a special August 8 election to consider what they call Issue 1.
Proponents of Issue 1 claim the measure keeps deep-pocketed special interest groups from advancing their policies. Yeah right, file that reason under H for Hypocrisy. So, it was an unexpectedly refreshing and remarkably candid moment when Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose revealed the absolute truth when he said, “This (Issue 1) is 100% about keeping the radical pro-abortion amendment out of our constitution. The left wants to jam it in there this coming November.”
Voting Yes on Issue 1 would raise the threshold to amend the state’s constitution to 60% as opposed to the longstanding (since 1912) 50% now required. If voters approve this measure it immediately becomes more difficult, but not impossible for the abortion measure to pass in the November election.
Voting No on Issue 1 keeps the power in the hands of Ohio voters where the value of majority rule is a hallmark of democracy. A 50% plus 1 vote is the practice that engages civic participation. Issue 1 is yet another blatant example of the tilt toward one-party rule that seems to define the current Republican party.
An August election is guaranteed to deliver low turnout and the language is deliberately confusing. We are conditioned to think a Yes vote is affirming what we believe, but in this case a NO vote is the affirmation of our values. With a defeat of Issue 1 Ohio voters move forward to the November elections with a chance to enshrine a woman’s right to abortion in the state’s constitution.