Media Releases

This win came after the Maine People’s Alliance collected more than 80,000 signatures to qualify a ballot measure on paid leave policy, after which the state legislature took action on this crucial issue in response to voters’ enthusiasm.

Today, a non-partisan, grassroots coalition in Ohio submitted more than 700,000 signatures from state residents in all 88 counties in an effort to qualify a critical ballot measure to defend reproductive rights.

Today, the One Person, One Vote campaign in Ohio launched an ad campaign in opposition to Issue 1, a proposal from the General Assemblyto require citizen-initiated ballot measures to pass by a supermajority of 60%. 

This week, Rolling Stone covered the coordinated attack by conservative state legislators and special interests to crack down on citizen-initiated ballot measures in order to further restrict abortion rights.

The only question on the ballot is Issue 1, a proposal to require that 60% of voters approve citizen-initiated constitutional amendments, instead of a simple majority — meaning that a small group of voters would have control over such decisions.

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This week, The New Yorker spotlighted how advocates for direct democracy, including the Fairness Project, are fighting back against to right-wing attacks on the ballot measure process in Ohio in advance of a proposed reproductive rights amendment this fall.

The resolution in Ohio is the latest in a string of attacks on the ballot measure process. Last year, legislators in South Dakota and Arkansas attempted to implement a 60% threshold but it was rejected by voters.

Ohio illustrates growing red-state trend of attacking direct democracy to undermine voter-led progress at the ballot box.