Buckeye Reporter

Two Republican lawmakers recently sent Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose the arguments from GOP legislators in favor of Ballot Issue 1, which would require 60% voter approval to pass amendments to the Ohio Constitution.

"A yes vote on Issue 1 protects our constitution from deep-pocketed, out-of-state interests,” the document, signed by the GOP-designated authors, Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) and Sen. Rob McColley (R-Napoleon), said.

Issue 1 will help to strengthen Ohio's constitution, Republican lawmakers said on Twitter. In addition to requiring 60% voter approval, the measure would require signatures gathered to support amendments to include voters from all 88 of Ohio's counties and restrict "do-overs" on signature submissions, which would give signature-gatherers one chance to properly obtain signatures for a proposed amendment.

Buckeye Reporter previously reported that "a roster of left-leaning advocacy groups" has come out against Issue 1. These groups include Black Lives Matter Cleveland, Black Lives Matter Dayton, Pro-Choice Ohio, Black Out and Proud, the Cleveland Bi+ Network, Columbus New Liberals, Democrat Socialists of America-Cleveland, Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens, New Voices for Reproductive Justice and the Ohio Federation of Teachers.

"Because of the ease of amending Ohio’s founding document, the Ohio Constitution has become a tool used by special interests to permanently change our form of government to their liking," LaRose, a Republican from Akron, said to Buckeye Reporter. "In just the past three petition-based amendment campaigns, special interests have spent more than $50 million on media advertising, political consultants and more to support their passage."

Last year, there were six abortion-related statewide ballot measures across the U.S., the most in history, according to Ballotpedia.

Since 2000, there have been 16 petition-based constitutional amendments proposed in Ohio; five have passed and 11 have met defeat. Of the five that took effect, three received 60% or more of the vote, according to a news release from LaRose.