DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Voters across Ohio rejected Issue 1 Tuesday by a 14% margin, 57% to 43%. This keeps in place the simple majority currently required to pass amendments to the constitution.
If it had passed, Issue 1 would have made it more difficult for an abortion rights amendment to pass in November.
Groups on the “No” side of Issue 1 began declaring victory just around 8 p.m. Tuesday, just 30 minutes after polls closed.
At a watch party held by the Dayton NAACP last night, Tom Roberts, state president of the NAACP, called the vote “a people’s victory.”
“People won back their rights in Ohio,” said Roberts. “Those rights that our state assembly has taken for granted and taken away the last couple of years.
“Congratulations to the people of the state of Ohio.”
Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life and a supporter of Issue 1, attributed the defeat to confusion caused by millions of dollars of ads funded from outside the state.
“There was confusion because you look at a county like Delaware County that is very red — voted for Trump twice — when they saw $20 million of TV ads, they were convinced what’s left is right and what’s right is left,” said Gonidakis.
Democrat U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown released a statement in response to Issue 1’s defeat.
“Ohioans saw this amendment for what it was: a power grab by powerful people designed to silence their voices. By rejecting State Issue 1, Ohioans rejected special interests and demanded that democracy remain where it belongs – in the hands of voters, not the rich and powerful.
“That is what has always guided me and I am proud to stand with Ohioans in this fight.”
Republican U.S. Sen. JD Vance has not commented on the results, though he stated earlier he was in favor of Issue 1.
