On Tuesday, Ohioans will race to the polls to decide whether or not to vote for Issue One.
According to the Ohio Secretary of State’s website, if passed, issue one would require that any amendment to the Ohio Constitution has to receive at least 60% of votes to pass, instead of 50.01% of votes.
Kent State students from political groups on campus are speaking up about the implications of this change.
“As of right now, you need signatures from 44 of Ohio’s counties [to get an initiative on the ballot],” Christian Heller, chair of Students for a Democratic Society, said. “If this ballot initiative were to pass in August, it would be raised from 44 counties to 88. So you would need a signature from every county to get a ballot initiative on the ballot.”
Issue One would also take away Ohio’s “curing period” for amendment petitions, which is currently in place so petitioners get an extra 10 days to get additional signatures.
“[If passed,] one percent of Ohioans can overrule what 59% of Ohioans support,” Heller said. “State legislatures in Columbus have made it pretty clear that the whole reason that they are trying to raise these requirements is so the abortion ballot initiative, that has gotten its signature requirements, so that it can be shot down by the voters in November.”
The Issue would also require that any initiative petition filed after Jan. 1, 2024 be signed by at least five percent of electors of each county, solely based on the total vote in the county.
“It’s important to vote no, because it’s really about saving democracy,” Heller said. “We’ve heard a lot about saving democracy these past two years, but this is really about majority rule in Ohio. This is about how a minority of Ohioans can overrule the will of the majority of the population.”
Kent State’s College Republicans refused a phone call, but in a text message member Jacob said, “We support it because it gives a voice to a greater number of people in our great state of Ohio and makes Ohio’s Constitution more similar to the United States Constitution set up by the framers.”
The Special Election takes place on Tuesday. Find your local polling location here.
Destiny Torres is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
