Ohio Supreme Court orders change to proposed constitutional amendment language on ballot News
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Ohio Supreme Court orders change to proposed constitutional amendment language on ballot

The Ohio Supreme Court ordered the state’s ballot board on Monday to reword a proposed constitutional amendment set to appear on voters’ ballots this August.

The ballot initiative would require amendments to Ohio’s Constitution to garner 60 percent of the votes during an election, increase the number of county electors needed to propose a constitutional amendment by initiative petition, and dispose of a current practice that allows supplemental additional signatures for an insufficient amendment initiative petition. Specifically, the court held the Ohio Ballot Board must explain the definition of “electors” to avoid misleading voters about how many signatures are required for an initiative petition and use an accurate title for the proposed amendment on the ballot.

House Joint Resolution 1, sponsored by Ohio State Representative Brian Stewart, passed the Ohio House by a vote of 62 to 37 in May. Stewart shared,  “A 60 percent threshold for amendments is a reasonable reform to provide stability – and protection from deep-pocketed special interest groups – to our Ohio Constitution.”

Currently, the Ohio Constitution mandates a constitutional amendment on the ballot must get more than 50 percent of the vote to be incorporated into the constitution.

Brian Stewart responded to outcry over the increase in votes to pass an amendment by drawing light to the League of Women Voters’ articles which can only be amended by 66 percent of the vote. He insinuated those who opposed the amendment are hypocrites and claimed they “think fundamental changes to a governing document should have widespread support,” indicating this issue crosses party lines.

Groups like Ohio Citizen Action refute Stewart’s claim that the amendment will limit the interference of special interests. The organization launched a campaign to encourage voters to vote no in August, explaining, “The constitutional amendment is a political ploy put on the ballot by extreme special interests and politicians to permanently change Ohio’s constitution, ending majority rule and the principle of ‘one person one vote.'”

In April 2023, it was reported that the Illinois billionaire Richard Uihlein was providing the majority of the funding to run political ads in support of the proposed Ohio constitutional amendment.

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