They very well may be the most crucial votes in the state’s history: The Nov. 8 election and Aug. 8 special one-issue election to change Ohio’s constitution from a majority vote to approve new amendments to a minority vote to stop change.
The reproductive rights amendment is proposed for the Nov. 2 election. The two elections are inextricably overlapped. The special August election was crafted by lawmakers to defeat the reproductive rights amendment — and for no other reason, legitimate or otherwise. The reproductive rights amendment was created by women and families to protect the integrity of personal, medical decisions that are a matter between a woman and her doctor, not the business of lawmakers to regulate.
The reproductive rights amendment is a fair and honest effort; the minority rule amendment is a reprehensible power grab that must be defeated, for so many reasons, if only to reject a Party that has abandoned the rule of law in this instance and in so many past instances, from the $61 million bribery of its former leader to this gerrymandered special election for its chief constituency, mandating its Evangelical wing’s beliefs onto everyone.
The August election will cost Ohio taxpayers $20 million for a special one-issue ballot at a time of the year when history shows fewer people vote than at any other time when elections are scheduled in a calendar year. This is lawmakers cheating, and cheating some more. They are proposing a self-serving, significant change to the state’s constitution to mandate their own personal beliefs onto everyone, and they’re doing it blatantly, endorsing minority rule with minority rule.
Republicans, by the power of their gerrymandered incumbency, aren’t holding anything back. They are demagogues. The cost of this election should be paid through a payroll reduction plan for them after August, for as long as it takes to pay back Ohio taxpayers this farcical expenditure.
The best outcome, from early voting starting early next month, through Election Day Aug. 8, is to vote. Make sure your mother votes. Make sure your sisters vote, your daughters, sons, your brothers, fathers and others. Make sure you vote.
Early voting for the Aug. 8 election starts July 11.
Early voting for the Nov. 2 election starts Oct. 11.
Request absentee ballots from your local county elections office or vote there in person.
