Ohio Voters Pass New Amendment Protecting Abortion Rights

Ohio voters approved a constitutional amendment that ensures access to abortions and other forms of reproductive health care.

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe V. Wade, several citizen-led initiatives have been put into action to protect abortion rights.

On Tuesday, Ohio had a crucial victory in protecting women’s abortion rights. The voters approved a ballot measure to amend the state constitution to establish a right to an abortion. With 99% of the vote counted, the measure was passed with a margin of 56.6% to 43.4%.

Moreover, Voter approval of the issue, known as Issue 1, continues the winning streak for abortion rights proponents. This saw success in all six of the states where abortion-related measures were on the ballot last year. This is indeed the most recent victory for abortion rights supporters.

Following the vote, President Biden celebrated the results and restated his administration’s work to protect access to reproductive health care. Furthermore, Biden called on Congress to codify abortion rights in federal law.

“Ohioans and voters across the country rejected attempts by MAGA Republican elected officials to impose extreme abortion bans that put the health and lives of women in jeopardy, force women to travel hundreds of miles for care, and threaten to criminalize doctors and nurses for providing the health care that their patients need and that they are trained to provide,” proclaimed Biden in a statement following the ballots approval.

Ohio voters faced the question of whether to amend the state constitution to create an individual right to reproductive freedom, in addition to decisions on abortion.

Ohio now stands as the seventh state where voters have chosen to safeguard abortion access following the landmark Supreme Court ruling. Furthermore, it is also the only state to consider a statewide abortion rights question this year.

“The future is bright, and tonight we can celebrate this win for bodily autonomy and reproductive rights,” Lauren Blauvelt, co-chair of Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, told the crowd of supporters after the vote.

Moreover, Issue 1 pronounces an individual’s right to “make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions.” This includes birth control, fertility treatments, miscarriage, and abortion. Ohio’s constitutional amendment, Issue 1, included some of the most protective language for abortion access of any statewide ballot initiative since the Supreme Court’s ruling.