COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Amid the overturned Roe v. Wade landscape, Ohio voters have sanctioned a constitutional amendment to ensure access to abortion and other reproductive health care options, marking another win for abortion rights activists.
Ohio now stands as the seventh state to uphold abortion access at the state level post the landmark court ruling, as the only state to tackle a statewide abortion rights ballot question in the current year.
This outcome could serve as a potential indicator for 2024, signaling a source of energy for Democratic voters and aiding President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign in retaining the White House. Similarly, several other states including Arizona and Missouri are expected to vote on similar protections next year.
Heather Williams, interim president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, hailed the vote in favor of abortion rights as a “huge victory” and emphasized that Ohio’s support for the constitutional amendment is a strong statement on Democratic priorities.
Ohio’s Issue 1, a constitutional amendment, incorporated highly protective language for abortion access where opponents had raised concerns about potential threats to parental rights, unrestricted gender surgeries for minors, and the revival of banned “partial birth” abortions.
Ideally, Issue 1 will overturn a 2019 state law that bans abortion after fetal cardiac activity is detected, with no exceptions for cases of rape and incest.
The public polling clearly reflects an American sentiment, with about two-thirds of citizens in favor of legal abortion in the early stages of pregnancy, irrespective of their political inclinations.
Voter turnout for Ohio’s constitutional amendment was notably high, affirming a strong public stance and interest in the matter. The approval of Issue 1 is anticipated to revoke the existing state law passed in 2019 by Republicans and reinforce individual reproductive rights, including decisions related to birth control, fertility treatments, miscarriages, and abortions.
Ultimately, the recent vote in Ohio has reaffirmed the significance of abortion rights and set the stage for a high-stakes fall abortion campaign.
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Associated Press writer Samantha Hendrickson in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, contributed to this report.
