Between the first day of early voting on July 11 and July 20, a total of 9,082 voters cast their ballot at the Hamilton County Board of Elections office in Norwood. Registered Democrats have dominated the early turnout so far, with 4,698 early votes as of press time. Only 1,267 registered Republicans cast early walk-in votes, and 3,117 early voters were unaffiliated with either party. Fewer than 10 days of early voting on Issue 1 has already tripled the total turnout locally from last year’s primary.
And that doesn’t even account for the absentee votes. Another 13,465 voters have returned absentee ballots for Issue 1 so far. Of those, 6,405 were from registered Democrats, 2,471 were Republicans and 4,589 were from independent voters. The August primary in 2022 only brought in 8,651 absentee votes during the entire election. Those early numbers suggest high turnout for a wildly unusual election with exceptionally high stakes.
What is Issue 1?
The Aug. 8 special election has just one item on the ballot: Issue 1, which Republicans have brought forward to make it harder for voters to amend the Ohio Constitution. By raising the threshold of approval from 50% to 60%, the ballot issue would mean that a simple majority, or 50% plus one vote, would no longer be enough to amend the Ohio Constitution. Passing Issue 1 would impair voters’ ability to legalize abortion in the state, which is set for state ballots in November. Other initiatives that would be impacted include proposals on marijuana and raising the minimum wage.
At first, Ohio Republicans argued the change was to protect the state from outside interference. But, according to Ohio Capital Journal/WEWS, Republican Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said during a May 22 Seneca County Lincoln Day dinner that Issue 1 is “100% about keeping a radical pro-abortion amendment out of our constitution.”
Bipartisan opposition
More than 200 bipartisan groups, four bipartisan former Ohio governors, and Ohio’s entire system of bipartisan elections officials are all against the special August election set in motion by Ohio Republican politicians. Elections officials cited the steep $20 million price tag of holding a state-funded special election. Former governors cited important initiatives that wouldn’t have passed the 60% threshold, like the Clean Ohio Fund. It’s also drawn a crowd of hundreds of bipartisan protestors.
Gov. Mike DeWine and Secretary of State LaRose ought to be among them: Both previously pushed to ax August elections altogether. But in this case, they set their principles aside; LaRose has become Issue 1’s biggest champion, and DeWine signed off on the Aug. 8 ballot placement.
As for Ohio native and musician John Legend, he even returned home to campaign against Issue 1. Standing outside the Hamilton County Board of Elections office on July 18, Legend told a crowd of supporters that Republicans are trying to silence Ohioans.
“We know the value of our voice, we know the value of our vote,” Legend said. “I came back home to Ohio today to encourage you not to give up on that fight.”
Legend then launched into song.
“One day, when the glory comes, it will be ours!” he sang to a cheering crowd.
It’s not every day you have a legend like Legend singing about a special election in Ohio, but David Niven, a University of Cincinnati political science professor and expert on gerrymandering, said there’s nothing normal about this election.
“Strange or out of the ordinary is an understatement,” Niven told CityBeat. “We’ve had state-wide elections in August in Ohio in 1942 during WWII; in 2022 because of the redistricting commission’s refusal to pass a constitutional map; and now again in 2023. This is an extraordinarily unusual time to have an election. And these elections are prompted by extraordinary events.”
The state legislature has never previously brought a 60% majority rule question to the ballot in Ohio. But then again, the U.S. Supreme Court never overturned Roe v. Wade until now either.
“This extraordinary event in this case is the legislature’s fear that the people of Ohio will correct the course and impose their values on the legislature,” Niven said. “Where the legislature is quite accustomed and quite comfortable to impose the legislature’s values on Ohio.”
When and how to vote
Early voting for Hamilton County residents has started and is taking place in one location only, the Board office: 4700 Smith Road in Norwood. All absentee ballot applications must be turned in by Aug. 1. Election day is Aug. 8, and the polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Absentee ballots are due by close of polls.
A controversial new law requires voters to present a valid ID to vote in person in Hamilton County. Acceptable forms of ID include:
- Ohio driver’s license
- State of Ohio ID card
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
- U.S. passport or passport card
- U.S. military ID card
- Ohio National Guard ID card
- US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
All photo IDs must have the following:
- An expiration date that has not passed
- A photograph of the voter
- The voter’s name, which must substantially conform to the voter’s name as it appears in the poll list or in the poll book.
