A lawsuit has been filed with the Ohio Supreme Court to prevent a possible constitutional amendment question from going to the statewide ballot in August.
The resolution, passed by majority Republicans in the Ohio Legislature, would ask voters to make it harder to pass future constitutional amendments by requiring 60% voter approval. Experts have questioned the legality of the resolution and the state's high court is being asked to intervene.
The group, One Person, One Vote, along with Jeniece Brock, Brent Edwards, and Christopher Tavenor filed the suit. It claims the resolution is unconstitutional, in part, because it contained two distinct legal instruments that cannot be combined.
Ohio lawmakers had been considering the resolution and a standalone bill to set an August special election to consider it. But some lawmakers were reluctant to vote for a bill to set in an August special election, especially since just months ago, they passed legislation to outlaw most special elections, because the elections typically have low voter turnout and cost millions of dollars.
The lawsuit also claims a change to the constitution of this magnitude should not be considered in a low-turnout election.
Republican lawmakers who oppose abortion rights are worried about a constitutional amendment that will likely be on the November statewide ballot that, if passed, would enshrine abortion access and reproductive rights into the state constitution.
This story will be updated with more information as it becomes available.
