Ohio Voters Approve Measure Guaranteeing Right to Reproductive Medical Treatment, Including Abortion, in State Constitution

Ohio voters have approved a ballot measure that guarantees the right to reproductive medical treatment, including abortion, in the state constitution. The measure, known as Issue 1, was approved by a majority of voters in the state, which Donald Trump carried by 8-point margins in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.

The new language in the state constitution bars the state from “burdening, penalizing or prohibiting” the right to reproductive medical treatment, though abortion will remain prohibited after the point a doctor judges a fetus would most likely survive birth, with exceptions to protect the woman’s life or health.

The passage of Issue 1 marks another major victory for abortion-rights advocates in the nearly 17 months since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. This victory comes on the heels of Tuesday’s legislative elections in Virginia, where Democrats who campaigned on protecting abortion rights swept the General Assembly, retaking full control of the state after two years of divided power.

The results of the Virginia elections are seen as a microcosm of other closely divided states that will be critical in next year’s presidential election. With the passage of Issue 1 in Ohio, abortion-rights advocates have achieved yet another major victory in the fight to protect reproductive rights.