To the editor:
Wednesday's opinion piece opened with a well-stated criticism of the upcoming Aug. 8 election ("Change Ohio's Constitution, but not like this.")
The Issue 1 election is an obvious and transparent nod to a special interest -- that of anti-abortion groups. Polls state that a majority of Ohioans support reproductive and abortion rights. This is not a minority opinion in our state.
Currently in Ohio, a simple majority of 50 percent plus one allows passage of amendments. The majority wins. One person, one vote. We are being asked in this election to raise this threshold to 60 percent.
Last year, our Ohio Legislature voted to end August elections because people do not tend to vote in great numbers, and thus it is a tremendous waste of taxpayer money. However, they then reversed course and pushed through this August election in an attempt to have an effect on the upcoming November election. Citizens of our state have gathered almost half a million signatures to place on the November ballot an amendment to enshrine reproductive and abortion rights into our constitution.
This is what the August election is about. The conservative supermajority Legislature, in place thanks to gerrymandering, is afraid the people of Ohio will pass the amendment in November.
I urge Ohioans to vote early or turn out at the polls on Aug. 8 and vote no on Issue 1. Let the majority speak. Our vote is our voice in this noisy democracy. Do not let this Legislature take it from you.
Lynne Baird
Steubenville