A “yes” vote on Issue 1 supports amending the Ohio constitution to establish a right to “make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions, including but not limited to” decisions about abortion, contraception, fertility treatment, miscarriage care, and continuing pregnancy. (Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights / Instagram) |
BY MORGAN CARMEN | This November, Ohioans will decide whether to add to the state’s constitution the right for individuals to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions, including abortion. Early voting in the election has already begun.
Ohio Issue 1—the Right to Make Reproductive Decisions Including Abortion Initiative—would add this language to the Ohio state constitution: “Every individual has a right to make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions, including but not limited to decisions on: contraception, fertility treatment, continuing one’s own pregnancy, miscarriage care, and abortion.” The amendment would preclude the state from interfering, burdening or prohibiting the exercise of such a right—directly or indirectly.
A coalition of reproductive, women’s and civil rights organizations, Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, is urging voters to vote YES on Issue 1 to protect reproductive freedom. If passed, the amendment would restore Roe-era protections in Ohio and prevent a six-week abortion ban (that has no exceptions for rape or incest and which is the subject of ongoing litigation) from ever taking effect.
Notably, the ballot language looks different from the actual amendment: The state’s Republican-led ballot board drafted the language for the ballot, which does not specify which reproductive-health-related decisions would be protected by the amendment and refers to a “fetus” as an “unborn child,” among other departures from the original language of the proposed amendment. (Read the entire ballot initiative at the end of this article.) The Republican-led effort is part of a larger campaign to confuse voters, and follows an unsuccessful attempt earlier this year by the Republican legislature to change the election rules to increase the votes required to pass a measure on the ballot from a simple majority to 60 percent. Voters rejected the proposed rules change in a special election in August.
Ohioans, here’s all you need to know about how to vote in this election. (Click here to read more) |
