Ohioans codified the supposed “right” to abortion in their state constitution Tuesday night, representing another state-level victory for pro-abortion activists pushing ballot measures following the overturning of Roe v. Wade last year.
Polling locations in the Buckeye State closed at 7:30 p.m. E.T. Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report called the election nearly an hour after polls closed, with 60 percent voting in favor of the amendment, called Issue 1, and 40 percent voting against it with 27 percent of votes counted, New York Times projections show.
As Issue 1 changes the state constitution and takes precedence over laws passed by the state legislature, it is likely irreversible — and can only be overturned by another ballot measure. Its passage also comes after an amendment that would have raised the threshold to pass amendments to the state constitution from 50 percent plus one to 60 percent failed in an August special election. That amendment would have made it more difficult for the abortion amendment to pass.
