Ohio is having a Special Election on August 8, 2023.
The only thing on your August 8th Ohio ballot will be Issue 1.
Issue 1 requires future Ohio Constitution amendments to pass by a supermajority of at least 60% of eligible voters voting.
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→Why Vote No in August: This supermajority requirement eliminates the sacred principle of "one person -- one vote" by allowing a small group of voters to make decisions for everyone else. For over 100 years, Ohioans have either passed or defeated Constitutional Amendments based on a simple majority vote. It is unnecessary and undemocratic to change it now.
→What Issue 1 Affects: There is a wide diversity of issues that will be impacted by Issue 1: 1) Bonds for roads, bridges, sewers, conservation, schools, & transit; 2) Democracy policies like redistricting & dark money; and, 3) Social issues such as minimum wage, healthcare, and reproductive rights. Below is a snapshot of issues since 1980 comparing approved and failed rates. (Source: Fair Districts Ohio)
→Other Amendments that Would have Failed. . .if there had been a 60% majority requirement when these issues were on the ballot... (Source: LWV Ohio)
| Amendment | Passed by | Year |
| County Home Rule | 53.3% | 1933 |
| Straight Ticket Voting Ban | 57.3% | 1949 |
| Creation of Ohio School Board | 56.8% | 1953 |
| Racial Integration of the Ohio National Guard | 57.0% | 1953 |
| Gender Integration of the Ohio National Guard | 50.1% | 1961 |
| Clean Ohio Fund | 57.4% | 2000 |
| Minimum Wage | 56.6% | 2006 |
→Opposition to Issue 1 is Overwhelming -- But Only if We All Vote: Opposition to the August special election is a truly non-partisan affair, and you know how rare that can be! Every living past Ohio governor is against Issue 1, and public servants from both sides of the aisle have spoken out against taking Ohioans' right to majority rule in citizen initiatives. That right doesn't belong to parties, it belongs to the people. Vote no in August. -- LWV Ohio. In addition to the former Governors & Attorneys General below, these organizations urge Ohioans to Vote No on Issue 1.
→Get Ready to Vote: see our Voting & Elections page for important dates, new voter I.D. requirements, links to vote-by-mail application and more.
→Watch Community Conversation: Dayton Daily News delves into both sides of Issue 1 with Jen Miller, Executive Director, LWV Ohio, representing the NO vote and Theresa Gavarone, State Senator, District 2, representing the YES vote. This was streamed live on 07/26/23.
→When Politicians Fail Us: We all want the freedom to make decisions that affect our lives. Ballot issues give citizens the freedom to make laws when politicians fail us. Vote No in August.
→Undermining One Person--One Vote: This amendment restricts our freedom and takes away our rights. It ends majority rule in Ohio and takes away our right to decide what happens in Ohio by undermining the sacred principle of “one person, one vote.” Vote No in August.
→Unnecessary & Undemocratic: Special interests lobbied politicians to call this August special election – just for this one constitutional amendment. They are pushing this amendment to take away our rights and end majority rule so they can get what they want instead of what we, the people, want. Vote No in August.
→Vote No in August Campaign: a citizen-driven, grassroots, non-partisan coalition representing millions of Ohio voters that have come together to protect the sacred principle of "one person -- one vote" and preserve majority rule in Ohio. This link will take you to their website: Vote No in August.
