An inside look at Issue 1 in Ohio

“The proposed amendment would: Require that any proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Ohio receive the approval of at least 60 percent of eligible voters voting on the proposed amendment.”

At its core, the above is what issue 1 aimed to do.

For most states to pass a constitutional amendment, a simple majority is required, but with Ohio’s issue 1 lawmakers wanted to require 60% instead. Some other states that require more than the simple majority include Florida at 60% and New Hampshire at 66.67%.

A surprisingly large number of Ohioans flocked to the polls in August to cast their vote on Issue 1, where 57% voted "no" to defeat the measure.

Personally, I (TDG community manager Megan Goldstein) voted in Ohio and was shocked to see a long line wrapping around the entire building when I arrived. Though I wasn't looking forward to waiting in a long line with 90-degree weather, I was pleasantly surprised to see just how many people showed up to vote. The line moved very quickly and everyone in line was very friendly to each other.

Some are referring to issue 1 as having the potential to affect reproductive rights in Ohio, but why? This is because of a ballot initiative in November which is aiming to protect reproductive rights - issue 1 would have had the potential power to shut that down.

Another change that Issue 1 would impact revolves around citizen-initiated ballot questio s. One of the requirements for these citizens is to get signatures from at least 44/88 counties in Ohio, but if Issue 1 passed it would require them to get signatures from all 88 counties - making it harder to even get initiatives on the ballot.

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Politics is Everything: Ohio’s Issue 1 Smackdown

Intrigued by the main story and want to learn more about issue 1? Check out this episode of Politics if Everything for a more in depth conversation about the issue and implications behind it.

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This is Megan Goldstein, The Democracy Group's Community Manager. This week I listened to a lot of podcast episodes and wanted to share my favorites with you!

When the People Decide: Winning the Democracy Lottery

‍Have you ever played the lottery? Won a few bucks on a scratch off? This short episode discusses “the democracy lottery” - a tool local governments can use to get feedback from their citizens. It explores the city of Petaluma, California and how they utilize lottery-selected panels. I would strongly urge you to listen to this episode if you are looking to learn about a new topic and are short on time!

TPNR: Dr. Jean Twenge on The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents—and What They Mean for America’s Future

‍This conversation between Corey Nathan and Dr. Jean Twenge really kept me engaged and interested. They discuss all the things about generations: what they are like, how they are different, and what shaped them. No matter what generation you belong to, this episode is for all! Something I found interesting about this conversation was the amount of data that Dr. Twenge used when conducting her research and writing her book.

Our Body Politic: Trump’s Federal Indictment, Political Rumors & the Dangers of Tech

‍With the abundance of news surrounding Trump’s indictment, this episode does a great job summarizing exactly what has been going on. One of the guests, Soumya Dayananda, who was on the Senior Investigative Counsel for the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th attack, provides insight and explains the legalities surrounding Trump’s indictment, which I appreciated. People on both sides have a lot to learn from this episode and can better understand what lies ahead.

FEATURED EXPERTS

Future Hindsight: David Pepper on shaping democracy

‍Another Ohio connection this week! David Pepper has worn many hats. He is the former chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, a lawyer, and activist. He is also the author of four novels including Saving Democracy and The People's House, which aim to bridge real-world politics and fiction. Notably, during his time on the Cincinnati City Council he flipped Hamilton county blue for the first time in over 40 years. If you want to hear his insight and learn more about him, tune in!

Democracy Paradox: Cass Sunstein on Interpreting the U.S. Constitution

‍Sunstein is the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard Law School. During his time at Harvard, he founded and now directs the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy. Before this, he was the Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for the Obama administration and later went on to serve on the President’s Review Board on Intelligence and Communications Technologies and on the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Board. He is also an accomplished author!