Today's special election in Ohio will determine the fate of Issue 1, a ballot measure meant to make it harder to amend the state's constitution and to get amendments on the state's ballot in the first place. Wrapped up in this battle is a larger fight over abortion rights—and one that could be coming soon to other states.
If Issue 1 passes, Ohio will require proposed constitutional amendments to receive 60 percent of the vote, instead of the current simple majority required. It would also change signature collection rules for groups trying to get amendments on the ballot, requiring the collection of signatures from at least 5 percent of voters in the last gubernatorial election in all counties, instead of the now-required 44 counties. And it would get rid of a 10-day period currently allowed to replace signatures that the secretary of state deems invalid.
