Ohio Vote For Constitutional Amendments On The Ballot

State lawmakers in the House and Senate have passed a proposal to put a measure on a special election ballot in August to require a 60% supermajority of Ohio voters to amend the state’s constitution, a move some lawmakers hope will make it less likely that voters will make abortion legal in November.

The 62-37 House vote came as hundreds of protesters demonstrated in the rotunda of the Statehouse before the session opened Wednesday afternoon and after House Democrats stood and started a chant against the vote. The chamber’s gallery was cleared, and the vote resumed shortly after.

Four Republicans joined all Democrats in voting against the resolution. Reps. Jamie Callender (R-Concord), Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville), Jeff LaRe (R-Violet Twp.) and Tom Patton (R-Strongsville) were three short colleagues away from preventing the proposal from moving forward.

"This brazen, undemocratic power grab will not stand," Scott DiMauro, president of the Ohio Education Association, said following the vote.

There were more than 250 bipartisan groups against this amendment, and hundreds chanting all throughout the session.

One of the reasons why so many are angry is because of the timing. Republicans want to get this in front of voters before an amendment on reproductive rights potentially makes the November ballot.

"There's some theatrics and that's people's prerogative," State Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) said. "But we're very pleased with how today went."

Stewart and anti-abortion groups say unhappy citizens can make their voices heard at the ballot box in August.