Ohio – Vote No in August!
Protect "One Person, One Vote"
Civic engagement is a core priority for the Women’s Fund and fundamental to all we stand for. We cannot realize an equitable community without everyone having a seat at the table, an equal voice, and an equal vote.
Protecting these values is why the Women’s Fund urges you to VOTE NO on AUGUST 8th. This special election (Issue 1) would make it harder for citizen-led initiatives to make it onto the ballot and change the requirements for passage from a simple majority to a supermajority of voters. Ballot initiatives on issues most important to Ohio families would be suppressed for years to come.
As a result, Issue 1 would dilute community voice and allow a minority of Ohio voters to prevent the will of a majority of Ohioans from becoming law.
If passed, Issue 1 will:
- Change the requirement that citizen-led initiatives collect signatures from 5% of voters in 44 counties to 5% of voters in all 88 Ohio counties
- Eliminate the 10-day grace period to fix or add more signatures if any are found invalid
- Change the requirement for passage of a constitutional amendment from a simple majority (50% +1) to a supermajority (60%) of voters
The process to add and pass a constitutional amendment already requires a vast and coordinated effort that appropriately demonstrates broad community support and respects the importance of the democratic process. Issue 1 would dismantle this balanced approach and create (intentionally) a nearly insurmountable burden for citizens.
The time is now to protect “one person, one vote.” The Women’s Fund urges you to vote NO on August 8th!
