(The Center Square) – In-person Election Day voting opens Tuesday at 6:30 a.m. for a single-issue ballot that will decide if it becomes more difficult for Ohioans to change their constitution.
Polls close at 7:30 p.m.
A yes vote on Issue 1 would move the vote total needed to approve a citizen-led initiative to 60%. A no vote would leave the threshold at the current 50%-plus-one majority.
Tuesday’s election is the first statewide election since new voter ID laws were established.
As previously reported by The Center Square, the new law requires voters to provide an Ohio or federally-issued photo identification. In early April, the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles began providing state photo IDs free of cost to any Ohioan who would want one.
An Ohio driver’s license, state ID or interim ID issued by the DMV, along with a U.S. passport and U.S. military ID, are accepted. A former address on the identification is allowed, but the ID must be current.
Previously, voters could use a utility bill, bank statement, government check or another government document with a current address to be used as an ID for in-person voting. Those are no longer allowed.
According to Ballotpedia, more than 80% of political contributions on both sides of Issue 1 have come from out-of-state donors.
Protect Our Constitution is leading the campaign in support of Issue 1. Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, and Ohio House Majority Whip James Hoops, R-Napleon, are co-chairmen of Protect Our Constitution.
Protect Our Kids Ohio registered to support Issue 1, as did Protect Women Ohio, which is also leading the opposition campaign to a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment to establish a state constitutional right to abortion, contraception and other reproductive matters.
Voters will decide on the abortion-related initiative in November. Together, these PACs received $15.55 million. However, $10.01 million, or 64% of the support’s total funds, was for Protect Women Ohio, which is spending funds on two ballot measures. The average contribution to the three PACs was $17,438, and the median contribution was $100. About 84.41% of the contributions came from individuals or entities with out-of-state addresses.
One Person One Vote is leading the campaign in opposition to Issue 1. The PAC received $16.66 million. The average contribution to the PAC was $8,944, and the median contribution was $25. About 78% of the contributions came from individuals or entities with out-of-state addresses.
With $30 million between the support and opposition PACs, Issue 1 is the most expensive ballot measure in Ohio since 2017, when voters decided on the record-setting Issue 2, which saw $77.41 in contributions. Issue 2 was related to state agencies and prescription drug prices.
