The ballot measure results are a wake-up call for the pro-life movement.
Last night, Ohio voters rejected a ballot measure that would have increased the threshold for a constitutional amendment from a simple majority to 60 percent of the electorate.
“The results of yesterday’s ballot measure make one thing clear: passive or purely reactive strategies will not work,” said Tom Shakely, Chief Engagement Officer at Americans United for Life. “The pro-life movement has always been about proactively fostering a culture of life. We must be bolder and more proactive in this post-Roe era.”
“The results in Ohio are a wake-up call for the pro-life movement,” Shakely continued. “Although Issue 1 dealt with a procedural rather than substantive issue, it’s clear that abortion activists are seizing upon Antebellum-era majoritarianism to stoke popular fear and abolish democratically-enacted life-affirming law. State ballot initiatives in pro-life states are being weaponized by monied special interests, and the reality is that the pro-life movement has been flat-footed in responding to the pro-abortion movement’s cynical tactics. Our historic victory in Dobbs cannot serve as an excuse to allow powerful pro-abortion interests to effectively buy the outcome of low-turnout ballot measures.”
Steven H. Aden, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at Americans United for Life, commented, “the most cherished and fundamental of human rights, especially the right to life, were never intended to be subjected to the political views of a mere majority of citizens.”
Aden continued, “we are hopeful that Ohioans, who have voted for innumerable pro-life protections and for staunchly pro-life state representatives through decades of a so-called constitutional ‘right to abortion’ under Roe will again affirm their commitment to protecting every innocent human life.”
