A special election for a terribly unspecial bill
by OWA Action Fund Senior Campaign Manager Anastasia Martinez
The August Special Election is extremist Republicans’ sorry attempt to ruin democracy in Ohio, AND it’s going to cost taxpayers $20 million. While we received some good news this week that the ballot board has rejected the misleading ballot language penned by Secretary of State Frank LaRose, the issue will still be on the ballot this August and the stakes have never been higher.
Before we break down this resolution, its beginnings, and its detrimental outcomes if passed, we want to be clear that we will beat the Republicans at their own game. And we are here as a resource and support system for every single one of you.
If there is one piece of information we want you to take away from this blog, it's this: VOTE NO IN AUGUST.
What is Issue 1?
Issue 1 (formerly Senate Joint Resolution 2) purposefully makes citizen-led ballot initiatives harder to achieve
Keep in mind, because Ohio is such a gerrymandered state, and because we have voted on illegal, unconstitutional district maps, citizen-led ballot initiatives are one of the last tools we have to create laws that a majority of Ohioans agree with.
If this issue passes the following will become law:
Citizens would need to gather signatures from 5% of the voter turnout number from the last gubernatorial election in that county from all 88 counties.
Current law requires that percentage from at least 44 counties and grants organizers a “cure period” to gather valid signatures if the ones they turn in get rejected.
Organizers seeking a constitutional amendment need to clear 60% at the ballot
You read that right. The amendment could fail because a minority of Ohioans do not agree. Last we checked 49% ≠ democracy
Where did Issue 1 come from?
Senate Joint Resolution 2 (SJR 2) was introduced by Senators McColley and Gavarone (boo!) in March 2023
Note: House Joint Resolution 1 (the same exact bill) was introduced in the House first by Representative Brian Stewart (more on him later) in February 2023.
Keep in mind Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom announced its intent to do an abortion access citizen-led ballot initiative in December of 2022. Coincidence? We think not.
A group called Save Our Constitution PAC ran ads targeting five GOP members who did not fully support SJR 2 (now Issue 1). The funding for those ads comes—not from Ohio—but from Illinois billionaire Richard Uihlein.
Weren’t special elections eliminated during the last General Assembly?
Yes.
LAROSE STATEMENT ON PASSAGE OF HOUSE LEGISLATION ELIMINATING AUGUST SPECIAL ELECTIONS
“August special elections generate chronically low turnout because voters aren't expecting an election to occur. This is bad news for the civic health of our state. Interest groups often manipulatively put issues on the ballot in August because they know fewer Ohioans are paying attention. As a result, the side that wins is typically the one that has a vested interest in the passage of the issue. Voters are just as capable of voting on these important issues during the standard primary and general elections.”
- Secretary of State Frank LaRose“I’ve wanted to eliminate the August special election for my entire time as a public official. It’s wasteful, and it generally exists to let tax levies slip through without the support of anywhere near a majority of the populace. Happy to vote ‘yes’.”
- Representative Brian Stewart
Why is Issue 1 detrimental?
We want to be extremely clear that Issue 1 was thought up, created, and pushed through the Ohio legislature because Ohio Republicans are attacking our efforts to get abortion on the ballot this November.
Leaked email from Representative Brian Stewart
“After decades of Republicans’ work to make Ohio a pro-life state, the Left intends to write abortion on demand into Ohio’s Constitution. If they succeed, all the work we accomplished by multiple Republican majorities will be undone…”
- Representative Brian Stewart
While we know abortion and redistricting were the aspects that ignited this grasp for power, we also know it will not stop there. If this issue were to pass in August, these restrictions and ramifications would hurt anyone and everyone who is looking to make a change in Ohio. This includes raising the minimum wage, legalizing marijuana, redistricting, and—of course—abortion access.
If you believe in the simple concept of 1 person 1 vote and majority rule, you should vote no for Issue 1 in August.
