Raising this threshold respects the institution that is Ohio’s constitution, which is too important to be altered by simple majority rule. It prevents out-of-state millionaires and billionaires from pouring in money to sway public opinion on unknown or irrational policy measures. Ohio’s constitution needs to reflect the will of people of Ohio, their values, and their intentions. Not the values of outside interests groups and individuals who don’t have a personal stake in this state.
Another result of passing Issue 1 is it will be required that any citizen-initiated petition proposing to amend the Constitution of the State of Ohio that is filed with the Secretary of State on or after Jan. 1, 2024 to contain the signatures of at least five percent of the eligible voters living in each county of the state in order to be added to the ballot.
This means that any constitutional amendment that passes will require support from a large, diverse group of voters who all have a stake in Ohio. This further prevents special interest groups from being able to divide the state and cherry pick where they gather signatures, and means that they will need to reach out and appeal to voters from all over the state and from many different backgrounds.
Issue 1 will also restrict do-overs on signature submissions, thereby making sure political groups play by the rules when gathering signatures for putting amendments on the ballot, and preventing special interests from playing dirty.
By passing Issue 1, Ohio voters can protect the state from extreme measures being pushed by out-of-state interests through financial influence. Special interest groups already want to push extreme left, out-of-touch amendments on issues regarding the rights of the unborn, and the right to bear arms. These agendas do not appeal to a broad swath of Ohioans, and by ensuring that any amendments must represent the will of a great majority of the state’s voters, we can ensure that Ohio’s constitution represents all of the state’s residents and their values.
Ohio voters can protect the legitimacy of Ohio’s constitution, enshrine that the constitution represents all Ohioans, and make sure the extreme agendas of special interests are dead on arrival by voting “Yes” on Issue 1 at the ballot box on Aug. 8.
Gabe Guidarini is the recently elected president of the University of Dayton College Republicans.
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