Ohio Primary Law Legal Research Guide: Issue 1 Ballot Initiative

Sec. of State Frank LaRose signed off on 7/25/23

Issue 1 was defeated on 8/8/23. Required that any proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Ohio receive the approval of at least 60 percent of eligible voters voting on the proposed amendment. Require that any initiative petition filed on or after January 1, 2024 with the Secretary of State proposing to amend the Canstitution of the State of Ohio be signed by at least five percent of the eligible voters of each county in the state.

Ohio Capital Journal 7/20/23

ACLU 2/21/23. Includes the proposed ballot language

Action News 13 7/4/23

Cleveland.com 11/6/23

Ohio Capital Journal 7/26/23

Oh. Supreme Court mandamus action decided 9/19/23. Ohio Ballot Board can use LaRose's rewording of abortion amendment, with minor changes

Ohio Supreme Court case challenging the abortion rights ballot initiative on the ground that it doesn't list laws that would be repealed. Briefs are due Aug. 7, 2023.

Lawsuit in Ohio Supreme Court alleging that Issue 1's language is misleading.

6/12/23 The description of Issue 1 on the ballot must be rewritten.

Ohio Capital Journal 6/14/23

Lawsuit challenging the legality of Issue 1 even being on the ballot.

6/16/23 Ohio Supreme Court rules that Issue 1 can be voted on on August 8, 2023.

3/20/23 Ohio Ballot Board sued over its decision to certify abortion amendment. Relators claim that the amendment contains more than one subject. Ohio Supreme Court accepted the case on 3/28/23, with an expedited briefing schedule.

Ohio Supreme Court finds that abortion rights amendment only contains one subject. 6/1/23