A push to tighten the rules for state constitutional amendments in Ohio was soundly defeated in a rare August election.
Shortly after polls closed August 8 in the Buckeye State, Issue 1 was going down in a 70-30 vote. The early results showed the issue failing in the state’s larger counties as well as many suburban and rural counties. As the results continued to come in, the margin of defeat grew smaller. At 10:30 p.m. Eastern, the totals were 57-43 percent against the measure.
Proponents of the plan, which would require a 60 percent majority rather than a simple majority to make changes to the state constitution, say it would keep controversial policies at bay. Critics, however, call it a power grab that would limit the rights of people to get issues on the ballot.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) first brought up the plan last year. After months of fighting in the halls of the state capitol, it finally was decided to be put to a vote August 8.
What followed was expensive campaigns from both sides of the issue. The One Person One Vote group against the measure spent more than $12 million – primarily out-of-state money – on advertising.
In addition to the 60 percent threshold, the issue, if passed, would have required citizens who want to place an amendment on the ballot to collect signatures from at least 5 percent of voters from the last gubernatorial election in all 88 counties instead of the current 44. It also would have removed the 10-day period that allows citizens to replace signatures deemed faulty by the secretary of state's office.
Issue 1 only would have required a simple majority to pass and become law. It would have taken effect immediately. More than 640,000 people cast early ballots on the measure.