Vote Yes on Issue 1!
We must value, understand, and protect our foundational documents. The number of amendments and voluminous wording in the Ohio Constitution should give us pause.
Since its 1851 adoption, the Ohio Constitution has been amended 172 times! By contrast, the U.S. Constitution has 27 amendments. Amending the U.S. Constitution requires supermajorities for both proposal and ratification.
The Ohio Constitution was meant to be the framework for state government. With a comparatively easy amendment process, changing governance through constitutional amendments has become a recurrent longstanding practice.
Over time, special and out-of-state interests with deep pockets learned that
targeting the Ohio Constitution was an expedient and permanent pathway to achieving their goals.
Thus, we see wordy and complex amendments, many influenced by special interests and shifting political sands.
Issue 1 will raise the voter approval threshold for constitutional amendments to 60%, thus ensuring widespread citizen support while telling vested interests that our constitution is not an easy target. Issue 1 will also require amendment campaigns to include signatures from all 88 counties, ensuring statewide participation.
This commonsense initiative will provide good policy for all Ohioans.
Simultaneously holding physical copies of both the Ohio Constitution and a standard pocket version of the U.S. Constitution reveals a remarkable contrast in size. The U.S. Constitution is stated to include 7,591 words while the Ohio Constitution has over 67,000!
It is long past time to protect Ohio’s foundational document. Please join me in voting YES on Issue 1!
Kathy Johnson
Chardon Township
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Categories: Community Activism