Photo by Christopher Dacanay Catherine Turcer executive director of Common Cause Ohio, center, encouraged a crowd of law enforcement officials, firefighters and labor union members to vote “hell no” on Issue One in Ohio’s Aug. 8 special election.

STEUBENVILLE — Groups backing the One Person, One Vote campaign encouraged area residents to say “hell no” to state Issue One in Ohio’s Aug. 8 special election during a Wednesday morning press conference.

“I want to go on the record now. We’re going to vote against Issue One on Aug. 8 to protect the majority rule,” said Kevan Brown, president of IBEW Local 246, which hosted the event at its North Fourth Street headquarters.

“Issue One is going to make it harder to implement laws that could positively impact Ohio’s working families. It’s going to take away freedoms we’ve had since 1912. Union members across the state understand the importance of majority rule. Fifty percent plus one is the basis of our democracy, and we will fight to protect it.”

Issue One, if passed, would change the requirements needed to enact new amendments to the Ohio Constitution. Since 1912, a constitutional amendment has required a simple majority of at least 50 percent plus one vote to pass. If the issue passes, that requirement would be changed to a 60 percent majority needed to pass.

Issue One’s enactment would also require an initiative petition for new constitutional amendments to be signed by 5 percent of eligible voters in each of the state’s 88 counties, an increase from the current requirement of 44 counties.

Jim Marquis, president of Fort Steuben Lodge 1 of the Fraternal Order of Police, said he knows police officers from across the state who “strongly oppose Issue One and are going to vote no in the Aug. 8 special election for special interests.”

With the current simple majority policy, Marquis said, Ohioans have been able to put new Constitutional amendments on ballots for 110 years, and “the sacred principle of one person, one vote” should be protected.

John Saunders, a staff representative for the United Steelworkers, agreed.

“It doesn’t make sense that, in the middle of August, we’re going to have a special election that … takes away your right as the majority to be able to make changes if the legislature makes a mistake and does something you don’t believe in.”

Saunders said it is hypocritical that Issue One requires 50 percent plus one to pass, but future amendments would require 60 percent. He said it is not a political party-restrictive issue and that individuals from both sides are urging state residents to vote no.

Former Republican Govs. Bob Taft and John Kasich and former Democrat Govs. Ted Strickland and Dick Celeste have spoken out against Issue One. Also coming out against the issue were former attorneys general, including Republicans Betty Montgomery and Jim Petro, and Democrats Richard Cordray, Lee Fisher and Nancy Rogers.

“Educate your friends, your family — if you’re in organized labor, your members. This election is going to (be) won by turnout,” Saunders said.

Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio, which advocates for government transparency and accountability, said Issue One dilutes voter power and gives a greater voice to the minority of Ohio voters rather than the majority. She noted the disruptiveness of the special election, which will take place in August rather than being combined with the November general election.

“The state Legislature is choosing to put an issue on a ballot in August that dilutes our power,” Turcer said. “Why? Because it increases their power, and I think it’s really important for us to remember that when Ohioans in 1912 chose to put direct democracy on the ballot, that was put in place as a check on the state legislature because the state legislature, at the time, was truly corrupt.”

Turcer mentioned the coming sentencing of Larry Householder, two-time speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives who was found guilty on corruption charges on March 9. She said the Legislature has not worked to improve transparency and has instead insisted that Issue One will protect the Ohio Constitution.

“We should not just say ‘no’ to Issue One of the special election. We should say ‘hell no,'” Turcer said.

Proponents for Issue 1 include Gov. Mike DeWine, who said in May that he would vote to pass the issue because it prevents wealthy out-of-state groups from changing the Ohio Constitution.

Also backing the issue is Ohio Right to Life, which has taken an interest in Issue 1 following the overturning of Roe v. Wade one year ago, which returned abortion rights decisions to the states.

ORTL has pushed to have Issue One passed in order to hinder the Ohio Right to Make Reproductive Decisions Including Abortion Initiative, which is on track to appear on the November ballot. That initiative, if passed, would provide individuals autonomy on reproductive decisions, including, but not limited to, abortion.

Issue One’s enactment would make obtaining signatures for petitions more difficult because signature gatherers would need to reach twice as many counties, Turcer said after the press conference. She added this could allow a single county to veto the whole process if it did not provide enough signatures.

She added that the $20 million cost of the special election was a poor use of taxpayer money, considering Issue One could have been placed on the November ballot instead.

To a question regarding how Issue 1 would affect legislation on abortion rights, Turcer said, “Our Legislature chose political expediency over trusting voters to weigh in on a citizen-led ballot measure.

“They are making it … so that every single other amendment to the Ohio constitution is more challenging. They are concerned about a single issue (abortion rights), as opposed to doing what they can to push back and promote their ideas. Instead, they choose to change the rules. … (Issue One) is not about one issue. It’s about all issues.”

Mel Woods, an officer and financial secretary of United Mineworkers Local 1304, called Issue One a Pandora’s box that, if passed, has the potential to harm working people in the future, specifically regarding right-to-work legislation.

Eddie Abdalla, chairman of the Jefferson County Democratic Party, said after the press conference, “We want to make sure every Democrat, and even Republicans, get out to vote against (Issue One).”