Ohio's Abortion Goalposts Remain in Place

Ahead of a November vote in Ohio to make reproductive freedom a (state) constitutional right, I recently noted:

[T]here is an attempt to move the goal posts on what it will take to pass the measure...

I am glad to see that the attempt went down in flames yesterday, as Ohioans overwhelmingly defeated a proposal to raise the threshold to pass a constitutional amendment:

I'm glad her side won, but I must say that's an interesting question coming from someone protesting against holding yesterday's election at all. (Image by Becker1999, via Wikimedia Commons, license.)

The measure would have raised the threshold for approving future changes to the state constitution through the ballot box from a simple majority -- 50%, plus one vote -- to 60%.

The outcome of Tuesday's special election maintains the lower bar that has been in place since 1912 and could pave the way for approval of the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot in November that seeks to protect abortion rights. A July poll from the USA Today Network and Suffolk University found 58% of Ohio voters support the effort to enshrine abortion access in the state's founding document.

Ohioans rejected the proposal by a 56% to 44% margin, meaning there is reasonable hope that abortion will be protected by the state constitution after the November elections.

-- CAV