The venom coming from the left towards Issue 1 is truly ironic because the same political parties and politicians fighting Issue 1 actually endorsed a 60% threshold when it was in their interest only a few years ago. In 2018, Democrat Glenn Holmes co-sponsored a resolution to raise the threshold to 60%. Now, that same party is fighting tooth-and-nail to stop Issue 1 to protect its radical policy agenda.
Even more hypocritical? Outside of our constitution, the Ohio Democratic Party believes their founding documents are too important to allow a simple majority to make changes. They require a 60% vote to amend their charter and bylaws. In truth, the Democratic Party supports different rules for themselves than they do for the rest of the state.
A “Yes” vote on Issue 1 helps mitigate the potential influence of well-funded special interest groups from states like New York and California, which are currently pouring millions into the “No” effort. In our current system, these groups can use their deep pockets to sway public opinion and secure a narrow victory, particularly in low turnout elections. By raising the threshold to 60%, we create a higher barrier for initiatives to overcome, making it more challenging for wealthy interests to manipulate the democratic process. This measure helps level the playing field and ensures that decisions are based on the merits of the proposals rather than the size of campaign contributions.
Another important reason to vote “Yes” is to ensure we in the Dayton region and the surrounding counties have an equal voice in policymaking when compared to cities like Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. Currently, constitutional ballot initiatives only require signatures from half of Ohio’s 88 counties. Issue 1 would up that requirement to every county in the state, ensuring that citizens in our region are able to stand up for what they believe in when changes to the constitution are proposed.
I encourage Ohioans to research the facts behind this debate. We should embrace this opportunity to enhance our democracy and safeguard the interests of all Ohioans by voting “Yes” on Issue 1 on Aug. 8.
State Representative Phil Plummer is currently serving his second term representing the 40th House District.
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