Why it is Important to Vote "Yes" on Issue 1

I am proudly voting yes on Issue 1 on August 8th, and here is why.  Our U.S. and Ohio Constitutions were written by our founding fathers as a way to govern ourselves and to secure the rights of our citizens.  Both documents have been amended over time.  So, how is it possible that the entire United States Constitution is roughly only 7,000 words while the Ohio Constitution has ballooned to approximately 67,000 words?

The answer is really quite simple.  While the U.S. Constitution can be amended, and it has been 27 times, it is not an easy process – nor should it be. To amend our US Constitution requires two-thirds (66.6%) of both chambers of Congress or two-thirds of the states to propose an amendment, and then that amendment proposal must be ratified by three-quarters (75%) of the states in our country before the amendment officially becomes part of the U.S. Constitution.  This is appropriate.  This thoughtful process with a high bar allows meaningful amendments to the U.S. Constitution while preventing our national founding document from becoming littered with amendments based on simple and changing whims of society. 

Unfortunately for the Ohio Constitution, that is not the case.  Currently, the Ohio Constitution can be amended by a simple 50%+1, which is why it has exploded over the years to 172 amendments, including ones covering casinos, real estate addresses, and more.  These items simply don’t belong in a constitution.  It has happened as out-of-state special interests have come to Ohio and paid big money to sway a simple majority of voters with flashy ads.  This needs to stop – and a YES vote on Issue 1 will help accomplish that.

Most people don’t realize that the majority of states in our country don’t even allow citizen-led initiatives to amend their constitutions at all.  That’s right – 32 states including Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, and Wisconsin do not allow such amendments.  With the passage of Issue 1, citizen-led ballot initiatives to amend the Ohio Constitution will still be allowed, however, rather than the appallingly low 50% threshold, the requirement will become a more appropriate 60%. Ironically, even the Ohio Democratic Party and the League of Women voters require 60% and 75% of members, respectively, to change their charters.

The August election is a prime target for opponents who say this is nothing more than an effort to defeat the abortion amendment this fall.  However, if you’ve read the so-called reproductive rights amendment for individuals you’ll see it opens a Pandora’s Box that provides a path to far more than abortion.

This is why radical petition-driven amendments should require more than a simple majority to pass.  The Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio Soybean Association, Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, Ohio Dairy Producers Association have joined the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, NFIB, and Ohio Right to Life in supporting Issue 1.  They realize that special interests from wealthy organizations in Washington, D.C. and on the coasts are willing to spend millions for a chance to change Ohio’s Constitution to benefit them, and not us.

Our Constitution is the bedrock of our democracy – join these grassroots organizations and me. Protect it with a Vote YES on Issue 1.