Breaking Down Ohio's Issue 1
Part 4: Myths and Facts
Tomorrow, Ohioans will decide if it should be harder to amend the state constitution. The debate surrounding this initiative has at times created some confusion. Here are a few myths and facts about Issue 1.
MYTH: All Issue 1 would do is require a 60% supermajority for amendments to be passed, something that several other states already do.
FACT: Besides moving from a 50% + 1 simple majority to a 60% supermajority for amendments to pass, Issue 1 would make it more difficult for citizen-led initiatives to get on the ballot in the first place.
Ohio has 88 counties. Currently, petitioners must get a number of signatures equal to 5% of the voters in the most recent gubernatorial election in half of the counties. Issue 1 seeks to change that to all 88 counties. In other words, a petitioner could have the required number of signatures in 87 counties and still not get the proposed amendment on the ballot because of a deficit in a single county. Proponents of Issue 1 say this requirement would ensure that all counties are equally represented.
Also, an existing 10-day cure period would be removed if Issue 1 passes. The cure period gives petitioners a chance to collect more signatures if some have been removed during the verification process. Ohio has a number of processes in place to verify signatures on a petition; for example, a signer must be “a qualified elector of Ohio and registered to vote at the address provided on the petition as of the date the state issued part-petition is examined by the board.”
MYTH: This only has to do with the upcoming abortion amendment on the November ballot.
FACT: While the citizen-led proposed amendment to codify abortion rights in Ohio had a great deal to do with the decision for a special election on Aug. 8, this has potential repercussions for all future amendments proposed through petition.
For example, a petition is currently being circulated in Ohio asking for an amendment to raise the state minimum wage from $10.10 to $15 an hour. If Issue 1 passes, petitioners would need to get the required amount of certified signatures in all 88 counties; otherwise, they would have to start over. Should they be successful in meeting that requirement, the amendment would then get on a ballot, where it would need 60% of the vote to pass.
MYTH: Issue 1 would crush democracy in Ohio.
FACT: Lots of wording on the opposing side suggests that citizens’ votes will not count if Issue 1 passes. This is a nuanced argument, but the fact is that requiring a 60% supermajority on amendments does not take away anyone’s vote. It simply makes it more difficult to change the constitution.
Those in favor of Issue 1 believe that democracy would be protected by keeping special-interest groups out of state issues. Those against raise concerns about the state government holding more decision-making power than citizens.
It should also be noted that in Ohio, the supermajority would only be in effect for constitutional amendments. Simple majority would still be used for all other issues on a ballot.
MYTH: The larger the sign in your yard, the greater the chance people will vote the same way you do.
FACT: There is no evidence to prove this is true.