The George Gund Foundation

06/21/2023 in Announcements

Make Your Voice Heard

On August 8, 2023, Ohio voters will have a crucial decision to make that will shape the future of our state.  Issue 1 will be on the ballot.

What is Issue 1? Issue 1 will be on the August 8th special election ballot. It will provide Ohioans with an opportunity to vote for either amending the state constitution or not. Currently, Ohio law requires simple majority vote to amend the Ohio Constitution. This 50 percent + 1 standard has been in place for more than a century. Issue 1 asks voters to amend the current standard so it is more difficult for citizens to affect change through direct democracy.

Why are we having a special election? The Ohio General Assembly initiated Issue 1, also known as Senate Joint Resolution 2.

What is the impact? Issue 1 would end citizen-driven ballot initiatives as they are currently governed. The citizen-driven ballot initiative is one of only two avenues for citizens to enact direct legal change, and the only way to enact laws not passed by the Ohio General Assembly.

A YES vote on Issue 1:

  • Changes the Ohio Constitution to require that citizen-driven ballot initiatives garner 60 percent of votes to pass, which means that 40 percent of voters can veto the will of the majority of citizens on any issue.
  • Makes it harder to place citizen-driven ballot initiatives before voters by requiring petitioners to collect signatures in all 88 Ohio counties and eliminating the current 10-day period of time in which disputed signatures can be corrected by petitioners.
  • Makes it harder for voters to propose and pass citizen-driven ballot initiatives.

A NO vote on Issue 1:

  • Keeps the citizen-driven ballot initiative process the way it is now—in the hands of the majority of voters.
  • Keeps the Ohio Constitution as it is now—future citizen-driven ballot initiatives would still need the support of 50 percent + 1 of voters in order to pass, the same as it works today.
  • Requires petitioners to collect signatures in 44 of 88 Ohio counties, as is currently required.

When is the special election?  Tuesday, August 8, 2023.

Am I registered to vote?  You can quickly and easily check your voter registration with the Ohio Secretary of State or your local board of elections.

Did you know that Ohio has new photo ID requirements for voting? Ohioans must provide a valid photo ID when voting in-person. Acceptable forms of ID are: Ohio driver’s license; State of Ohio ID card; Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV; U.S. passport; U.S. passport card; U.S. military ID card; Ohio National Guard ID card; or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card. All photo IDs must have an expiration date that has not passed, a photograph of the voter, and the voter’s name.

Did you know there are THREE ways to vote?

  • In-person voting: On election day, your polling location will be open from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm to cast your ballot in person. Find your designated polling location by checking the Ohio Secretary of State’s website or your local board of election.
  • Early voting: Ohio also provides the opportunity for early voting, allowing you to cast your vote in-person at your local board of election. Find the early voting hours by checking the Ohio Secretary of State’s website or your local board of election.
  • Absentee voting: If you are unable to vote in-person, you can request an absentee ballot from your board of election by August 1, 2023. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by August 7, 2023.

On August 8th or before, cast your vote.  Remember, every election shapes the lives of Ohioans. To learn more, please visit: https://ohiovoterguide.org/.