Did you know that reproductive rights are on the ballot in Ohio?

That’s right, you literally get to vote to protect reproductive rights! We are the only state in the country that put reproductive rights on the ballot this November, thanks to the 700,000+ Ohio voters who signed the petition to get this constitutional amendment onto the ballot. Issue 1 will enshrine reproductive rights in our state constitution, including protecting access to safe abortion care, miscarriage management, infertility treatments, and birth control.

Extremists have pulled out all the stops to try to defeat this measure, including writing misleading and confusing language to appear on the ballot. But remember that no matter what they put on the ballot, we know what the amendment actually says. Make sure you vote YES on Issue 1 to keep government out of our families’ personal decisions.

 The truth about Issue 1 – The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety Amendment

What is Issue 1?

Issue 1 is the “Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety” Amendment on the ballot this election. Voting “yes” on Issue 1 will restore the same rights we had before Roe v. Wade was overturned — to abortion and reproductive healthcare (contraception, fertility treatment, and miscarriage care) in Ohio and keep the government out of our families’ personal decisions. 
You can read the full text of the constitutional amendment here.

What does Issue 1 mean for my “parental rights”?

Politicians in Columbus stole parental rights when they passed Ohio’s 6-week abortion ban – with no exceptions for rape or incest. Under this ban, which went into effect immediately after Roe v. Wade was overturned, parents, families, and doctors don’t have any say at all in this very personal decision. 

Issue 1 strengthens our parental rights by putting these healthcare decisions back in the hands of Ohio families, instead of the government.

Does Issue 1 change Ohio’s parental consent laws?

No. Opponents of the amendment know how much we care about our children and our families, so they’re using the idea of “parental rights” to scare and confuse us. Ohio law requires that minors get parental permission for healthcare decisions and that law will not change. Even when abortion was legal nationwide, Ohio kept its parental consent laws intact.

Politicians in Michigan circulated the same disinformation around parental consent before Michigan voted for their reproductive freedom constitutional amendment last year. Even with a pro-choice governor, Attorney General, state legislature, and State Supreme Court, parental consent still stands in Michigan.

Does the amendment distinguish between minors and adults?

Issue 1 protects women and girls, but it doesn’t say they have the same rights. It’s just like with guns — we don’t let 12-year-olds buy guns, even though our constitution doesn’t distinguish between minors and adults. 

The sad truth is sometimes minors need protection for reproductive healthcare decisions, too. Just look at what happened in 2022 to the 10 year-old who was forced to leave Ohio for an abortion. That decision should have been left up to her, her mom, and her doctor, not politicians. 

The people who are trying to scare you into voting against this amendment are the same people who passed the ban that forced that 10 year-old girl to leave Ohio to seek care, and they’ve made no apology for it. This amendment protects all Ohioans who may need reproductive healthcare.

How does Issue 1 impact transgender healthcare for minors?

The amendment has nothing to do with gender-affirming healthcare and does not mention it. Remember that in Ohio, minors have to have parental permission for medical procedures, including gender-affirming care.

The truth is some politicians and outside groups are trying to confuse and scare parents because they know Ohio women want reproductive freedom and disinformation is the only way they can win. We won’t be fooled.

Would Issue 1 allow for late-term abortions in Ohio?

Extremists who want to distract us from their attempts to ban abortion entirely use this term to deceive voters. Let’s be clear. Abortions later in a pregnancy are extremely rare and happen because something has gone terribly wrong. Zero abortions occurred in Ohio after 24 weeks in 2022. These are tragedies where there is a lethal fetal diagnosis or the life or health of the mother is in jeopardy. Women in those situations desperately need the ability to make decisions with their doctors–not politicians or the government. 

If Issue 1 passes, patients, in consultation with their doctors, will be able to make these decisions based on their needs, not politics.

Why is the ballot language different from the actual amendment?

The Ohio Ballot Board writes a summary of any amendment to appear on the ballot. This is extremely helpful when an amendment is lengthy and difficult to understand. 

Issue 1 is a concise amendment that is easy to understand. However, Frank LaRose and the Ohio Ballot Board wrote a summary for the ballot that is not only confusing, but also extremely misleading. The summary does not mention anywhere that this amendment will protect contraception, miscarriage care and fertility treatment. 

It’s important to understand that no matter what that summary on the ballot says, the amendment hasn’t changed. We are encouraging everyone to read the full amendment text by clicking here. 

I’m just confused. What does voting “Yes” vs. voting “No” really mean?

You’re confused for a reason! Extremist groups and politicians know that the majority of Ohioans support access to abortion, and that we want to protect our kids, so they’re trying to confuse us by distorting facts. They want voters to reject the amendment so their 6-week abortion ban stays in place. That’s exactly what voting “No” would do — REINSTATE one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the country, in Ohio.

Voting “YES” on Issue 1 will stop this abortion ban, restore rights for women and girls in Ohio, and keep parents in charge of decisions for their families. Issue 1 protects our rights to abortion, contraception, fertility treatment, and miscarriage care.

I’m confused because I thought we already voted on this issue?

We get it. The whole campaign against Issue 1 is intentionally designed to confuse you.

It feels like we’ve been working on this amendment for a while and we have voted on it before — because we have — but the November vote is different and is the final, important step to protecting our reproductive rights!

First, we gathered and submitted enough signatures in July to get the amendment on the November ballot. 

Then, in August, we had to vote “No” in a special election on the issue, but to be clear, that was a different vote! That’s when opponents of the amendment wanted to increase the percentage of votes required to pass citizen-initiated constitutional amendments like Issue 1. We successfully defeated that effort, which was their attempt to make it harder for us to pass the amendment in November.

Now we need to vote “YES” to get the amendment passed and enshrined in the Ohio constitution.

Why is the ballot language different from the actual amendment?

The Ohio Ballot Board writes a summary of any amendment to appear on the ballot. This is extremely helpful when an amendment is lengthy and difficult to understand. 

Issue 1 is a concise amendment that is easy to understand. However, Frank LaRose and the Ohio Ballot Board wrote a summary for the ballot that is not only confusing, but also extremely misleading. The summary does not mention anywhere that this amendment will protect contraception, miscarriage care and fertility treatment. 

It’s important to understand that no matter what that summary on the ballot says, the amendment hasn’t changed. We are encouraging everyone to read the full amendment text by clicking here. 

I’m just confused. What does voting “Yes” vs. voting “No” really mean?

You’re confused for a reason! Extremist groups and politicians know that the majority of Ohioans support access to abortion, and that we want to protect our kids, so they’re trying to confuse us by distorting facts. They want voters to reject the amendment so their 6-week abortion ban stays in place. That’s exactly what voting “No” would do — REINSTATE one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the country, in Ohio.

Voting “YES” on Issue 1 will stop this abortion ban, restore rights for women and girls in Ohio, and keep parents in charge of decisions for their families. Issue 1 protects our rights to abortion, contraception, fertility treatment, and miscarriage care.

I’m confused because I thought we already voted on this issue?

We get it. The whole campaign against Issue 1 is intentionally designed to confuse you.

It feels like we’ve been working on this amendment for a while and we have voted on it before — because we have — but the November vote is different and is the final, important step to protecting our reproductive rights!

First, we gathered and submitted enough signatures in July to get the amendment on the November ballot. 

Then, in August, we had to vote “No” in a special election on the issue, but to be clear, that was a different vote! That’s when opponents of the amendment wanted to increase the percentage of votes required to pass citizen-initiated constitutional amendments like Issue 1. We successfully defeated that effort, which was their attempt to make it harder for us to pass the amendment in November.

Now we need to vote “YES” to get the amendment passed and enshrined in the Ohio constitution.

FAITH & ISSUE 1

If you’re a person of faith who supports Issue 1, you’re not alone. If you’re still working through your thoughts and feelings about Issue 1, we’re here to help. We’re grateful to Catholics for Choice for partnering with us to answer these important questions.

Is it OK to support abortion rights and Issue 1 as a Catholic?

Yes, lots of faithful Catholics support abortion rights! If you are a Catholic who wants to vote yes on Issue 1, you are in good company. In 2023, 63% of Catholics in the U.S. said that abortion should be legal in all or most cases. 

If you are finding yourself with discomfort around abortion or even some of the messaging that you have heard from parts of the pro-choice movement, you are not alone. While Catholics for Choice fiercely supports abortion access, we know that abortion — like birth, miscarriage, and other aspects of pregnancy — can be morally complex. As Catholics for Choice, we have prayed, spoken with our community members, examined our consciences, read the Bible, and done our theology homework, and we have come to the faithful conclusion that we are called to support reproductive rights.

What does the Bible say about abortion?

The Bible does not ban abortion. In fact, the word “abortion” does not even appear once in the Bible. 

Given how much time and money Catholic dioceses in Ohio have spent campaigning against Issue 1, you might think that Jesus frequently preached about abortion. The Gospels tell us that this was not the case. Instead, Jesus teaches that we must “love one another” (John 13:34). Jesus also reaches out particularly to stigmatized women who were ostracized because of perceived sexual sin, such as the Samaritan women (John 4:4-42), the women caught in adultery who is about to be stoned (John 8:1-11), and the women who had menstrual bleeding for seven years (Luke 8:43-48). As pro-choice Catholics, we know that Jesus would have welcomed people who have had abortions to his table.

What does the Catholic church say about Issue 1?

Only 8% of Catholics agree with the Catholic hierarchy’s official position that abortion should be banned outright. Pro-choice Catholics are the majority. 

In Catholicism, following your conscience is important — so important, in fact, that the catechism says that acting against your conscience is a sin (para. 1790). As pro-choice Catholics, we have discerned that banning abortion is wrong and that protecting reproductive freedom is a crucial part of social justice. Just listen to this pro-choice testimony from Gabrielle, a Catholic mother in Ohio: “No one should ever be forced to be pregnant. Neither the government nor the church should have any role in the decision — it belongs to each individual pregnant person and their doctor. As a faithful pro-choice Catholic, I am compelled to support The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety Amendment.”

Is Issue 1 too radical on abortion for Catholics?

There’s nothing radical about the right to make our own medical decisions. There has been a lot of misinformation about Issue 1, but what the amendment will do is simple: enshrine the right to an have abortion in Ohio’s constitution. If you are one of the 68% of Catholics who didn’t want Roe v. Wade overturned, voting on Issue 1 is your opportunity to ensure abortion is safe and legal in Ohio.

As Catholics, we believe that Issue 1 will protect women — and all people — and their dignity. But don’t just take our word for it: Head to www.readtheamendment.com and read the amendment yourself so that you can follow your conscience as a Catholic.

How will Issue 1 impact me as a Catholic?

Even if you don’t think you’ll need to have an abortion, abortion bans in Ohio can affect you, or someone you love. Laws meant to target abortion can prevent doctors from providing miscarriage care or even saving someone’s life if there are pregnancy complications. As Catholics, we are called to protect the women in our lives. Ohio’s restrictions on abortion could impact your own ability to build a family and even threaten the lives of people you care about. Voting for Issue 1 means voting for women’s health and safety, and the health and safety of all our families.

How will Issue 1 affect religious freedom?

The Catholic faith calls us to respect the religious freedom of all people. It’s important to remember that freedom of religion not only protects our right to practice our faith — it also guarantees the right to be free from others’ religious beliefs. The question of when life begins is ultimately theological, and one particular group’s beliefs should never be codified into law. Other religions actually support abortion rights. For example, most interpreters of Jewish law say that life begins at first breath and that abortion is ethically required if the mother’s life is in danger. So, abortion bans and restrictions take away their religious freedom. That’s why Issue 1 will be a big success for religious freedom — by enshrining the right to abortion into the state’s constitution, Issue 1 will prevent the religious beliefs of a few being written into law for all.

ABORTION IN OHIO

MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE!

If we’re going to make sure everyone’s vote counts, it’s important to know all our voting options along with voting deadlines and schedules. Share this information with everyone you know – and don’t forget any young people in your life who turn 18 soon and will be eligible to vote by election day!

• Deadline to Register to Vote: October 10, 2023, Boards open until 9:00 p.m.
• Absentee Voting:
  • Military and Overseas Absentee Voting: Begins September 22, 2023.
  • Absentee Voting By Mail: Begins October 11, 2023.
  • Absentee Ballot Applications: must be received by 8:30 p.m. on October 31, 2023. You can find the application here. 
  • Absentee Ballots may be returned by mail or personally delivered to your county board of elections. 
    • If returned by mail, must be postmarked on or before November 6, 2023 and received by November 13, 2023. 
    • If not returned by mail, must be received by November 7, 2023 by 7:30 p.m.  
• Early In-Person Voting: Begins October 11, 2023 and includes the Saturday and Sunday before Election Day. Hours vary by day so make sure you visit the Ohio state voting page for more information on early voting hours and locations near you.  
• Election Day Voting: November 7, 2023, Polls Open 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Learn more at VoteOhio.gov