Today in Election News: Ohio - UPDATE

UPDATE: Both measures lost by extra large margins.

Ohio is a red state, and still these lightly disguised anti-abortion initiatives fell resoundingly. A significant portion of Republicans really don't like the government screwing with women's rights.

----

This takes a bit of back story. In the 2022 election, many votes for Democrats were made by women who are furious at the Abortion laws that have been implemented by state. So far, anywhere where it is on the ballot, the anti-abortion side loses and the pro-choice side wins. Because, I think, women don't want the government taking over their bodies.

Now let's look at to Ohio. The pro-choice forces have gathered enough signatures to put the issue on the ballot for state elections this year. Unless the voters on a slow day turn out to reject these initiatives.

So the Ohio legislators called a very special election for today. In this election, literally slated so that the fewest people vote, the legislature has put 2 initiations on this special ballot. There are only these two.

With the first initiative, they prose to raise the threshold to pass a state amendment to 60% from 50%. This would greatly reduce the odds of passing. In the US, getting 60% of voters to agree on any one thing is next to impossible. Not impossible, but next to impossible.

The second initiative would change the process to put initiatives on the ballot. Right now Ohio initiative proponents have to submit signatures greater than 6% of the people who voted for the last governor. They must gather these in at least 44 of Ohio's counties. The rule change here would be that proponents much get 6% of the last election voters in all 88 counties. Also, any invalid signatures could not be regathered. 

For Ohio Republicans, if the firsts initiative doesn't pass, the second would invalidate the initiative regarding pro-choice because they didn't hit all 88 counties.

Tada! Life in minority ruled country.