Ohio Referendums on Constitutional Amendments & Reproductive Decisions

Ohio is conducting a Special Election on August 8, 2023 with a single issue on the ballot – Issue 1, Proposed Constitutional Amendment Elevating the Standards to Qualify for an Initiated Constitutional Amendment and to Pass a Constitutional Amendment.  This is a General Assembly initiated constitutional amendment.  If passed, it will require General Assembly initiated and citizen-initiated constitutional amendments to be approved by 60% of voters (up from 50% + 1), as well as require citizen-initiated constitutional amendments to collect signatures from all 88 Ohio counties (up from 44 counties).  Many analysts link Issue 1 and Ohio Senate Joint Resolution 2 (calling for the 8/8/2023 Special Election) to a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment that will appear on the November 5, 2023 Ohio General Election ballot – the Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety.  If Issue 1 passes in August, the Reproductive Freedom ballot issue will face a higher passage bar in November.  Ballotpedia provides additional information on the 8/8/2023 Issue 1 and the 11/5/2023 Right to Reproductive Freedom ballot issue.