Ohio Secretary of State Confirms Proposed Amendment to Enshrine Reproductive Rights in Ohio Constitution Qualifies for November General Election Ballot

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced Tuesday that a proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution that would enshrine reproductive rights in the state has qualified for the November general election ballot.

The proposed amendment, called “The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety,” would provide that every individual has the right to make their own reproductive decisions, including on contraception and abortion, and prohibits the state from prohibiting or interfering with the “voluntary exercise of this right.”

The measure’s backers needed to submit 413,487 signatures equal to at least 10% of the total votes cast in the last Ohio governor’s race. LaRose confirmed that the measure had received enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.

The proposed amendment has been met with opposition from Ohio Republicans, who have proposed their own amendment that would make it harder to amend the state’s constitution to target abortion access.

The proposed amendment will be put to a vote in the November 7 general election. If passed, it would ensure that Ohioans have the right to make their own reproductive decisions, including on contraception and abortion. It would also prohibit the state from interfering with the voluntary exercise of this right.