There is only one issue on the ballot in Ohio’s special election on Aug. 8.

Issue 1 is a “Proposed Constitutional Amendment Elevating the Standards to Qualify for an Initiated Constitutional Amendment and to Pass a Constitutional Amendment,” said the ballot language provided by the Delaware County Board of Elections.

It was “Proposed by Joint Resolution of the General Assembly To amend Sections 1b, 1e, and 1g of Article II and Sections 1 and 3 of Article XVI of the Constitution of the State of Ohio. A majority yes vote is necessary for the amendment to pass.”

The measure reads as follows.

“The proposed amendment would:

• Require that any proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Ohio receive the approval of at least 60 percent of eligible voters voting on the proposed amendment.

• Require that any initiative petition filed on or after January 1, 2024 with the Secretary of State proposing to amend the Constitution of the State of Ohio be signed by at least five percent of the electors of each county based on the total vote in the county for governor in the last preceding election.

• Specify that additional signatures may not be added to an initiative petition proposing to amend the Constitution of the State of Ohio that is filed with the Secretary of State on or after January 1, 2024 proposing to amend the Constitution of the State of Ohio.

“If passed, the amendment will be effective immediately.”

The neutral nonprofit website Ballotpedia further breaks down Issue 1.

“A ‘yes’ vote supports amending the Ohio Constitution to: increase the voter approval threshold for constitutional amendments to 60%; require citizen-initiated constitutional amendment campaigns to collect signatures from each of the state’s 88 counties, an increase from half (44) of the counties; eliminate the cure period of 10 days for campaigns to gather additional signatures for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments when the original submission did not have enough valid signatures.

“A ‘no’ vote opposes amending the Ohio Constitution, thus: maintaining that a simple majority (50%+1) vote is required for voters to approve constitutional amendments; continuing to require campaigns to collect signatures from at least 44 (of 88) counties; and continuing to allow campaigns to have 10 additional days to collect signatures when their original submissions contained too few valid signatures.”

Supporters are led by the Protect Our Constitution campaign, also known as Yes on 1. Supporters include the Republican Party of Ohio. The opposition is led by One Person One Vote also known as No on Issue 1. Opposition includes the Democratic and Libertarian parties of Ohio.

Here are what both sides are saying about Issue 1 in “Official Arguments” appearing in Ballotpedia.

Support

“Vote YES on Issue 1. Empower the People, Protect the Constitution.

“A YES vote on Issue 1 protects our Constitution from deep-pocketed, out-of-state interests. By passing Issue 1, the People will ensure constitutional changes are widely accepted and declare that Ohio’s Constitution is not for sale.

“Currently, special interests target Ohio, seeking to inject their own personal views and objectives into our state’s most sacred document. Why? Because Ohio is one of the few states that allow these interests to directly enshrine their social preferences and corporate motives into the Constitution at the same threshold as everyday laws. Common sense tells us that this should not be the case. Instead, our constitutional rights should be broadly supported and shielded from well-financed special interests.

“Voting YES on Issue 1 strengthens our Constitution by:

“Elevating the standard. By raising the threshold for constitutional amendments to 60%, the People will ensure amendments have widespread support and tell special interests that our Constitution is not up for grabs. This will protect Ohio’s Constitution similar to the way the U.S. Constitution has been protected since our country’s founding.

“Empowering people across Ohio. By requiring signatures from voters in every county, special interests will no longer be able to cherry pick where they gather signatures. Instead, starting January 1, 2024, a diverse and representative population of Ohioans will determine whether proposed amendments appear on the ballot.

“Eliminating second bites at the apple. By restricting do-overs on signature submissions, starting January 1, 2024, special interests will have one chance to play by the rules when gathering signatures to place proposed amendments on the ballot.

“We, the People, must have our voices heard on August 8th. Empower yourself and your fellow Ohioans. Protect the Constitution. Vote YES on Issue 1.”

Opposition

“This amendment would destroy citizen-driven ballot initiatives as we know them, upending our right to make decisions that directly impact our lives. It takes away our freedom by undermining the sacred principle of ‘one person, one vote’ and destroys majority rule in Ohio.

“Last year, Ohio politicians eliminated August special elections saying, ‘Interest groups often manipulatively put issues on the ballot in August because they know fewer Ohioans are paying attention.’

“And yet here we are, voting in August on just one question: should Ohio permanently abolish the basic constitutional right of majority rule?

“Special interests and corrupt politicians say yes. They don’t like voters making decisions, so they’re trying to rewrite the rules to get what they want: even more power.

“Here’s why we’re confident Ohio citizens will resoundingly vote NO:

“Issue 1 Ends Majority Rule: It means just 40% of voters can block any issue, putting 40% of voters in charge of decision-making for the majority.

“Issue 1 Shreds Our Constitution: It would permanently undo constitutional protections that have been in place for over 100 years to check politicians’ power at the ballot box.

“Issue 1 Takes Away Our Freedom: It would destroy citizen-driven ballot initiatives as we know them, guaranteeing that only wealthy special interests could advance changes to our constitution.

“Issue 1 Applies to All Issues: If this amendment passes, it will apply to every single amendment on any issue Ohioans will ever vote on – you name it, just 40% of voters will decide.

“We all deserve to make decisions that impact our lives. We must protect our freedom to determine our future, not permanently change our constitution to give up our rights. Vote NO.”

The Delaware County Board of Elections’ In-person Absentee Vote Center is open on weekdays now through Aug. 4 at 2079 U.S. Route 23 N., Delaware. The center will also be open on Saturday, Aug. 5, and Sunday, Aug. 6. For more information on voting, visit vote.delawarecountyohio.gov.

Assistant Editor Gary Budzak covers the eastern half of Delaware County and surrounding areas. He may be reached at [email protected].