Yay Ohio! @@ re: abortion

[wanderingback]

This is an example of fuck around and find out!

There was a special election in OH today. Essentially republicans wanted to make it harder to amend their constitution and they specifically said they wanted to do this so that abortion rights would be in jeopardy there.
Abortion is still legal in OH, but with lots of restrictions.

So this ballot measure has failed and is a victory to the pro-abortion side ahead of November’s election which includes a vote to enshrine abortion rights in OH.

[wanderingback]

I hope these idiots keep showing their true colors regarding abortion and swiftly get their asses handed to them.

[katfco]

I live just outside Columbus and DH and I have been really enjoying the results tonight.

One of the best things is that Frank LaRose, the OH Secretary of State, became the face of the effort, and he's also running for US Senate. So he's really shot himself in the foot here.

They're trying to get the OH Supreme Court to stop it, so there's still that hurdle, but it's a really fun night right now.

[dexteroni]

I’m in NE Ohio and really didn’t know how this was going to go. So I’m pleasantly surprised, but I know republicans aren’t going to stop with this. So I hope we can continue to defeat whatever their next attempts are, but I fear at some point it’ll be up to the state legislature, which is heavily gerrymandered and therefore, of course, heavily R.

But for tonight, I’m pleased.

[dexteroni]

Aug 8, 2023 22:08:42 GMT -5 katfco said:

One of the best things is that Frank LaRose, the OH Secretary of State, became the face of the effort, and he's also running for US Senate. So he's really shot himself in the foot

That’s definitely the icing on the cake. Hahahaha asshole.

[lab7979]

I also live in Ohio and I'm so relieved about the outcome. I'm still trying to figure out why we had an August election when August elections were banned earlier this year but whatever. It's not that surprising. Ohio lawmakers have a habit of doing whatever the hell they want.

[DotAndBuzz]

HUGE exhale. I have lots of connections to Ohio, and am so relieved this measure failed.

It was publicized as an abortion rights measure, but it is truly so far reaching. It would have essentially codified minority rule for the state, and since the state is so gerrymandered, its impossible to change the state legislature make-up . So ONE county, out of 88 could keep a ballot initiative from making the ballot. Like a rural county with 12,000 residents (a legit example, look up Vinton County), that is reliably and SOLIDLY R, would be able to block any changes that the other 87 counties want to vote on, or change, because there's next to no chance you'd find 5% of the registered voters in that county to sign a Democrat backed initiative - it would have required 5% of the registered voters from every county to sign on, or else it couldn't make the ballot. And *IF* it somehow made the ballot, you'd need 60% threshold to pass, instead of a simple voter majority of over 50%.

So yes, it most definitely impacts the abortion issue on the November ballot, as it would have taken effect immediately, but the long term impact would have been horrifying.

[DotAndBuzz]

for perspective, it failed with 57% of the vote against it (as of about midnight). Hitting 60% wouldn't be impossible, but would be really really tough. Like, razor's edge margins.

[pumpkin]

I’ve been watching this and am so pleased with the result!

[wambam]

I’m in southwest Ohio and I hoped and was somewhat encouraged that this would be the result. I saw even Trump-supporting houses with “vote no” signs.

The “vote yes” mailers were entirely non-sensical. There were all the right wing scary phrases like “drag/trans/woke agenda/liberal interests” over a child crying. Truly, I can’t even explain them.

[MK12]

I'm in Columbus. My polling place was the busiest I've ever seen it. I was pretty surprised.

[somersault72]

The mental gymnastics tactics the "yes" people were using are astounding and infuriating. Even though even most republicans I know voted no I was still a little nervous, because Ohio has become such a shitshow politically and I just wasn't sure how many people would turn out yesterday. We went from a solid swing state to a state that voted JD fucking Vance in. The first time I saw a graphic covering what a "yes" versus "no" vote meant I thought something was missing and I was being punked because I could not understand why ANYONE would want to vote yes, even the people pushing for it. I'm glad Ohio did the right thing, that doesn't happen much anymore.

[somersault72]

Aug 8, 2023 22:48:34 GMT -5 lab7979 said:

I also live in Ohio and I'm so relieved about the outcome. I'm still trying to figure out why we had an August election when August elections were banned earlier this year but whatever. It's not that surprising. Ohio lawmakers have a habit of doing whatever the hell they want.

Right?? WTF.

[ECB]

The amount of energy and effort and MONEY that the GOP has spent over decades trying to outlaw abortion - if they had just put all that time and effort into other things - like programs and plans to actually HELP working mothers and families - the need for abortion would actually decline. And maybe with some of the extra time they'd have found themselves with, they could expend energy on OTHER issues.

[aurora]

Aug 8, 2023 22:48:34 GMT -5 lab7979 said:

I also live in Ohio and I'm so relieved about the outcome. I'm still trying to figure out why we had an August election when August elections were banned earlier this year but whatever. It's not that surprising. Ohio lawmakers have a habit of doing whatever the hell they want.

Because they could? (The minority-rule Republican legislators)

ETA very relieved to see it failed with a wide margin.

[stephm0188]

67/88 counties had a yes majority. I think this election was helped by a number of conservative voters who weren't swayed by what the Yes campaign was selling, but it does not give me hope for future issues. I'm glad it failed, but also feeling pretty uneasy about where it leaves us overall.

[Pom]

Aug 9, 2023 8:37:56 GMT -5 stephm0188 said:

67/88 counties had a yes majority. I think this election was helped by a number of conservative voters who weren't swayed by what the Yes campaign was selling, but it does not give me hope for future issues. I'm glad it failed, but also feeling pretty uneasy about where it leaves us overall.

I looked at the results by county. True, the 67/88 were yes but these are far and away not population centers in the state. Land doesn’t vote. I was born in a rural Ohio county and it was 64% Yes. But that was like 6k+ people. There are plenty of counties in that bucket. Never the less, we have to keep grassroots pressure and all efforts on turning out educated voters. I have been participating with Vote Forward but there are endless opportunities to get involved, great orgs with programs making our votes priority number one.

[noodleoo]

I was following this yesterday and so happy to see this result. Phew!

[livinitup]

Aug 9, 2023 8:26:37 GMT -5 ECB said:

The amount of energy and effort and MONEY that the GOP has spent over decades trying to outlaw abortion - if they had just put all that time and effort into other things - like programs and plans to actually HELP working mothers and families - the need for abortion would actually decline. And maybe with some of the extra time they'd have found themselves with, they could expend energy on OTHER issues.

Thank you. Say it louder!

I can only add that it acts as PROOF that the Republican agenda is not, in fact, to actually help women and families. Because if that was the agenda, they would actually do that. The agenda is power and authority over everyone else for their OWN benefit.

[litebright]

Aug 9, 2023 6:58:14 GMT -5 wambam said:

I’m in southwest Ohio and I hoped and was somewhat encouraged that this would be the result. I saw even Trump-supporting houses with “vote no” signs.

The “vote yes” mailers were entirely non-sensical. There were all the right wing scary phrases like “drag/trans/woke agenda/liberal interests” over a child crying. Truly, I can’t even explain them.

I was in Ohio (where I grew up) in the last couple of weeks and I heard a radio commercial for yes-on-1 that claimed that "they" want children to be able to have sex change operations without parental permission. Absolutely bonkers. 

[lust2hart]

Aug 9, 2023 8:26:37 GMT -5 ECB said:

The amount of energy and effort and MONEY that the GOP has spent over decades trying to outlaw abortion - if they had just put all that time and effort into other things - like programs and plans to actually HELP working mothers and families - the need for abortion would actually decline. And maybe with some of the extra time they'd have found themselves with, they could expend energy on OTHER issues.

A year ago Kansas voted to protect abortion rights, and then some pro-life organization demanded a recount in certain counties. Because the results in those counties weren't even a little bit close, the organization had to pay for the recount, which was in the 6 figures. What a complete waste of resources. 

[bronxgirl]

This is such a relief, although still quite a huge battle ahead. I grew up in a very liberal suburb of Cleveland. My friend who lives there and is politically active said that she heard that voters in our town voted 91% no. ( I didn't fact check this- I hope it's true.) I love where I grew up, although it gave me a very skewed view of what Ohio politics are actually like.

[basilosaurus]

Aug 9, 2023 14:01:26 GMT -5 lust2hart said:

Aug 9, 2023 8:26:37 GMT -5 ECB said:

The amount of energy and effort and MONEY that the GOP has spent over decades trying to outlaw abortion - if they had just put all that time and effort into other things - like programs and plans to actually HELP working mothers and families - the need for abortion would actually decline. And maybe with some of the extra time they'd have found themselves with, they could expend energy on OTHER issues.

A year ago Kansas voted to protect abortion rights, and then some pro-life organization demanded a recount in certain counties. Because the results in those counties weren't even a little bit close, the organization had to pay for the recount, which was in the 6 figures. What a complete waste of resources. 

Meanwhile the party is trying to get rid of wic

[Pom]

Aug 9, 2023 23:37:20 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Aug 9, 2023 14:01:26 GMT -5 lust2hart said:

A year ago Kansas voted to protect abortion rights, and then some pro-life organization demanded a recount in certain counties. Because the results in those counties weren't even a little bit close, the organization had to pay for the recount, which was in the 6 figures. What a complete waste of resources. 

Meanwhile the party is trying to get rid of wic

The are just horrible.

[msmerymac]

This article has some good maps and data, including a comparison by county of votes for and against the ballot measure and percentages of county voters who voted for Biden and Trump in 2020 (gift link): wapo.st/3OxwC2w

[wawa]

Aug 9, 2023 23:37:20 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Aug 9, 2023 14:01:26 GMT -5 lust2hart said:

A year ago Kansas voted to protect abortion rights, and then some pro-life organization demanded a recount in certain counties. Because the results in those counties weren't even a little bit close, the organization had to pay for the recount, which was in the 6 figures. What a complete waste of resources. 

Meanwhile the party is trying to get rid of wic

Because these people can with a straight face oppose giving kids from poor families some fucking cheap cheese and milk and bread. And is a prop to the dairy industry anyway since it requires all dairy be domestic. Why do you hate dairy farmers republicans???!!!!

[katfco]

I love the internet.