Ohio Abortion-Rights Activists Celebrate Election Win: 'Defended Democracy'

Abortion-rights activists cheered a decision by Ohio voters to resoundingly reject a measure that would have made it harder to enshrine the right to an abortion in the state constitution.

While abortion was not directly on the special election ballot, the defeat of Issue 1 on Tuesday keeps in place a simple majority threshold for passing future constitutional amendments, rather than the 60 percent supermajority that was proposed. Supporters of the measure argued that the higher threshold would aim to preserve the state's constitution from outside interest groups.

Ohio Republicans had placed the question on the ballot in hopes of thwarting the abortion-rights measure that will be put to voters in November. The proposed amendment would establish that "every individual has a right to make and carry out one's reproductive decisions" with "reasonable" limits.

Voters in other states, including in red states like Kansas and Kentucky, have approved ballot questions protecting access to abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. However, they have typically done so with less than 60 percent of the vote.

"Today, the power of the people prevailed," Kimberly Inez McGuire, the executive director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity and a leader in the Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom coalition advancing November's abortion-rights amendment, said in a statement to Newsweek.

"Ohio voters defended democracy against a cowardly and cynical attack. Young people are on the frontlines of building a new future for Ohio. And in November, we'll win again by securing abortion access."

With 95 percent of precincts reporting, nearly 57 percent of Ohioans voted to reject Issue 1. In a statement, NARAL Pro-Choice America said Ohioans' support for abortion access "was never in question."

"From defeating Issue 1 tonight to submitting nearly twice the amount of signatures needed to get a measure protecting abortion access on the ballot in November, Ohio voters have made clear that they will settle for nothing less than reproductive freedom for all," the statement said.

"Republicans should be ashamed of their efforts to subvert the will of voters. Seeing this measure defeated is a victory for our fundamental rights and our democracy. We're grateful to our partners on the ground for their tireless efforts to secure abortion rights and access. We look forward to fighting by their side to lock this fundamental freedom into law in November."

President Joe Biden also welcomed Tuesday's result. "This measure was a blatant attempt to weaken voters' voices and further erode the freedom of women to make their own health care decisions," Biden said in a statement. "Ohioans spoke loud and clear, and tonight democracy won."

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, a national group that opposes abortion rights, said: "It is a sad day for Ohio and a warning for pro-life states across the nation."

The group also criticized the outside money that helped the opposition, saying "millions of dollars and liberal dark money flooded Ohio to ensure they have a path to buy their extreme policies in a pro-life state."

Both sides relied on money and influence from out-of-state, or national, groups and individual donors in their campaigns, The Associated Press reported, citing campaign finance data.

Newsweek has contacted Protect Ohio Women, the campaign working to defeat the November abortion-rights amendment, and Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom for comment via email.