Why do people always talk about Roe v. Wade?

For 50 years, Roe v. Wade was the landmark case in the United States that established a woman’s legal right to access abortion. This decision had a significant impact on the country’s political, legal, and social landscape, and it is a topic of controversy to this day. People still talk about Roe v. Wade because it continues to shape the debate around reproductive rights, women’s health, and government regulations. The case is often referenced in discussions surrounding abortion laws, Supreme Court nominations, and political campaigns.

Why did Roe go away?

The reason Roe went away is because the Supreme Court overturned the landmark ruling, effectively allowing states to have more power in regulating access to abortion. This decision has sparked controversy and raised concerns about access to reproductive healthcare for women across the country.

Does it matter to Ohioans?

If you ask how does Ohio stack up on abortion rights, you’re not alone. Millions of us want to know what is going on with abortions in Ohio. At Red Wine & Blue, we give the 411 on Mifepristone access, current Ohio abortion laws in 2023, and what are women’s options in Ohio.

Is Abortion Legal in Ohio?

When Roe V Wade fell in June 2022, it became illegal overnight to get an abortion in Ohio after 6 weeks due to a pre-existing “trigger law.” For months, millions of individuals didn’t have access to essential reproductive rights and healthcare.

The courts temporarily blocked the abortion ban in the fall of 2022. While abortion is legal today in Ohio, reproductive rights could disappear again as soon as tomorrow. Ohio law prohibits abortions after 20 weeks of gestation, and requires a 24-hour waiting period before the procedure can be performed. Additionally, minors seeking abortions must obtain parental consent or go through a judicial bypass process. Ohio also has various regulations on abortion clinics and providers, such as requiring them to have transfer agreements with nearby hospitals. These restrictions have resulted in the closure of several clinics in the state.

At any moment, it can become illegal to get an abortion in Ohio after 6 weeks, when most pregnant people don’t even know they are pregnant.

Do Ohioans Support Abortion?

Who is getting an abortion?

A common misconception is that abortions are mostly used as a form of birth control by young, unmarried women. More than half of the women who get abortions report using contraception. We also know that the majority of abortions performed in the U.S. are on women who are already mothers. In fact, concern for their children is a motivating factor, with nearly half of the women reporting that providing for the children they already have is their reason for seeking an abortion. 75% of women who get abortions live at or below the federal poverty level.

Despite what extremists want you to believe, almost all abortions occur within the first trimester, and the majority of those happen shortly after someone discovers they are pregnant. Only 1% of abortions are performed after 20 weeks and those are almost exclusively due to fetal abnormalities that are not consistent with life, or to save the life of the mother. Abortions performed later in pregnancy are often women who want to be mothers but discover their fetus will not be able to live outside the womb.

Approximately 1 in 4 women will have an abortion in their lifetime, which means you probably know and love someone who has had one.

Is abortion the same thing as a miscarriage?

Approximately 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage, which is the natural loss of a pregnancy. Miscarriage is also called a spontaneous abortion. After a miscarriage, medical treatment may include surgical or medical interventions to save the life of the mother. These include a Dilation and Curettage (D&C) or the use of the drugs mifepristone and misoprostol.

D&C, mifepristone and misoprostol are also the surgical and medical options for abortions. Because the same procedures are used for both abortions and miscarriage treatment, many women and doctors are now calling attention to the fact that the healthcare procedures are the same, and that new abortion restrictions may have harmful consequences on women experiencing miscarriage.

Where can I read the Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety amendment?

Read the proposed amendment here.

How many signatures are needed to get this on the ballot?

We need around 800,000 in-person signatures. That sounds like a lot — and it is! Here’s the math: we need valid signatures numbering 10% of the voters from the last gubernatorial election. Since about 4.2 million Ohioans voted in the 2022 DeWine v Whaley election, we’ll need to collect about 420,000 valid signatures statewide. But because every signature needs to be validated, we actually need to collect double that amount – around 800,000. And keep in mind, these need to be in-person signatures – you can’t sign online.

WHY would a signature be invalid?

Reasons for disqualification

• • signature on the petition doesn’t match the one on in the voting file
  • the signer has moved or isn’t registered to vote.

We also need to make sure that those signatures are collected from across the state. The requirement is to gather signatures from 5% of the gubernatorial voters from each of 44 counties in the states (that’s half of Ohio’s 88 counties!). 800,000 signatures from 44 counties is a heavy lift, but we can do this, Ohio!!

When do the signatures need to be collected by?

July 5, 2023

What if we don’t collect the signatures in time?

Signatures collected don’t expire. If we don’t collect the required amount in time, we can still get the initiative on the ballot for 2024. But we’re going to do everything we can to make this happen for 2023 to restore access to abortion and help women in need NOW.

Do I have to sign in the county I live in?

You can sign the petition anywhere in Ohio. Just make sure to tell the volunteer you are signing with, which county you live in so you can sign on the correct petition.

Why is There Suddenly an Election in August After Republicans Outlawed it Last Year?

Out-of-state special interests lobbied to create an August 8 special election, just so they can permanently rig Ohio’s constitution in their favor, ending majority rule as we know it.  It would destroy the sacred principle of “one person one vote” by allowing a small group of voters to make decisions for everyone else. It’s a special election for special interests. Results of the August 8 special election will affect our efforts towards getting reproductive rights passed this November.

Red Wine & Blue is a member of The Vote No in August campaign, a citizen-driven, grassroots, non-partisan coalition representing millions of Ohio voters that have come together to protect the sacred principle of one person one vote, and preserve majority rule in Ohio. Learn more at Vote No In August.