Ohio voters reject Issue 1 in Tuesday’s special election

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The results are in and Ohio voters rejected Issue 1 in Tuesday’s special election.

Had it passed, Issue 1 would have had huge implications for abortion rights groups in the upcoming November election.

“I’m super stoked and excited,” Kristin Hady, a volunteer clinic escort coordinator with the Agnes Reynolds Jackson Fund said. “It’s nice to have a win.”

Some voters in Ohio are celebrating, especially abortion advocates.

“Abortion is a winning issue. People believe in it,” Hady said. “The majority of Ohio is pro-choice.”

Hady says Issue 1, which would have made it more difficult to pass constitutional amendments in Ohio, is an effort to undercut a voter-led initiative to enshrine reproductive rights in Ohio’s constitution this November.

“Whether or not Issue 1 specifically stated abortion, that was, beyond a shadow of a doubt, 100% what issue one was about,” Hady said.

Republican leaders say Issue 1 wasn’t about abortion, but rather about protecting Ohio’s constitution.

“I’ve said for months now that there’s an assault coming on our constitution, and that hasn’t changed,” Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said. “I’m just getting started in the fight to protect Ohio’s values.”

13 Action News requested an interview with Lucas County Republican Party Chair Christopher Joseph, who ended up sending us a statement.

“I always considered Issue 1 as a bipartisan issue for the voters of the State of Ohio,” Joseph in a statement said. “The voters have decided to maintain the status quo on amending the State of Ohio Constitution. The goals of the Lucas County Republican Party are the same and not affected by the outcome of the Issue 1 vote.”

Now, voters are starting to set their sights on the upcoming election in November.

“We’ll take this one as we move on to November and really just enjoy the momentum and enjoy what Ohio did,” Hady said.

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