If one only listened to opponents of Ohio’s State Issue 1, a person might believe that democracy itself is under grave threat if voters approve this ballot measure. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Issue 1 actually protects democracy by protecting the state Constitution. The Constitution must endure over time and should not be subject to the whims of public opinion, often changing as rapidly as the seasons. Issue 1 raises the bar to change the Ohio Constitution from 50% plus one vote to 60%. Despite what you’ve read or been told, Issue 1 changes nothing else.
There is a great deal of misinformation about this ballot question and many outright falsehoods, so it is important to separate fact from fiction as sportsmen consider their vote on Issue 1.
The Four “Big Myths” on Issue 1.
Big Myth #1: “Issue 1 threatens democracy.”
Fact: Issue 1 actually protects democracy exactly as the safeguards in the U.S. Constitution have protected our national democracy for well over 200 years.
Amendments to the U.S. Constitution require a 2/3 vote (66%) of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, after which three-quarters (75%) of the states must also approve the language for it to be approved.
It is hard to amend the U.S. Constitution because our framers had the foresight to understand that America’s new democracy would simply not survive if its foundational document could be changed easily, often, and without a strong consensus supporting such a move. In short, we have endured as the longest-running democracy in human history because the U.S. Constitution is durable, steady, and cannot be changed by simple majorities in response to fad, whim, or immediate circumstances.
If it isn’t obvious, the goal of the framers was to provide the new country with enduring stability by making it difficult to amend the Constitution, and only then when a true consensus has emerged.
Issue 1, if passed, would protect Ohio’s Constitution with procedural safeguards, just as with the U.S. Constitution.
Big Myth #2: “Issue 1 ends majority rule and allows Ohio to be controlled by 40% of the voters.”
Fact: If Issue 1 passes, all ballot issues except for Constitutional changes will remain at the 50% plus one vote threshold. All candidate elections for local, state, and federal office will remain 50% plus one vote. None of this will change.
We cannot stress this enough: the majority of Ohio voters will continue to exercise the same level of control they always have, with all elections that don’t seek to amend the Constitution requiring the same simple majority of 50% plus one vote.
Big Myth #3: “Issue 1 destroys Ohio’s 1 person, 1 vote standard.”
Fact: Each person’s vote will still be counted if Issue 1 is approved, and each person’s vote is weighted the same as any other. Changing the percentage required to alter the Constitution doesn’t change this in any way, shape, or form. This argument is simply a cliché told by those who have no idea how voting and representation actually work. It is likely they also don’t know what Issue 1 actually does.
Big Myth #4: “Issue 1 eliminates the right of the people to directly change Ohio’s laws.”
Fact: If Issue 1 is approved, Ohioans will retain the power to initiate a ballot question to change any and all laws, just as they can now, with 50% plus one vote to win. This includes the power to reject a law passed by the legislature. Issue 1 is not about a power grab, which is a major talking point of many who are untruthful about Issue 1.
Conclusion
Opponents of Issue 1 will say anything to scare voters. They say Issue 1 is about abortion and legislative redistricting, as if these are the only issues on the table. But Issue 1 is actually about something much broader. It’s about whether we should protect the state Constitution.
This is why Issue 1 enjoys a broad base of support from all walks of life in every corner of the state. The Ohio Restaurant Association, Chamber of Commerce, and National Federation of Independent Businesses support Issue 1. The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation also supports Issue 1.
And so does the Sportsmen’s Alliance, because we know that each state Constitution, along with the U.S. Constitution itself, must endure and be protected for future generations to continue to enjoy the freedoms that have defined our way of life and sustain us each day.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
