Reproductive freedom amendment to appear on Ohio ballot in November

The Ohio Secretary of State Tuesday announced Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights has submitted 495,938 valid signatures to place the citizen-initiated constitutional amendment “Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety” on the 2023 General Election ballot.

The requirement to qualify is 413,487 signatures. The signatures exceeded the state requirement in 55 counties, more than the necessary 44-county distribution.

“Every person deserves respect, dignity and the right to make reproductive health care decisions, including those related to their own pregnancy, miscarriage care and abortion free from government interference,” Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights Executive Committee members Lauren Blauvelt and Dr. Lauren Beene said. “Now that the petition drive is complete, we’re eager to continue the campaign to enshrine those rights in Ohio’s Constitution and ensure that Ohioans will never again be subject to draconian reproductive health care policies imposed by extremists.”

The secretary of state will now forward the amendment to the Ohio Ballot Board, which must draft the language describing the amendment that will appear on the general election ballot.