Tom Vodrey | Staff Writer
Tom Vodrey ‘26 is a politics and public affairs major from Cleveland, OH.
On Nov. 7, Ohioans sent a resounding message not only about reproductive rights and marijuana, but also about the state of our democracy.
On Issue 1, 57% of Ohioans cast their ballots in favor of enshrining reproductive rights in the Ohio Constitution. On Issue 2, another 57% of Ohioans cast their ballots in favor of allowing adults over the age of 21 to purchase, consume, and grow marijuana. Even in a fair campaign, this would’ve been an impressive achievement of the activists and organizers who put together the campaigns for these issues. But these past few months have been anything but fair.
The Republican-dominated Ohio General Assembly did everything it could to thwart the democratic process. In January, they enacted the strictest photo ID law in the country and reduced the windows for obtaining an absentee ballot and voting early. In August, they tried to make it practically impossible for citizens to amend the Ohio Constitution through a sneakily timed election. In October, the State Senate used its taxpayer supported government website to spread partisan lies against Issue 1 disguised as unbiased information.
In each of these attempts, they were met with the resilience and resistance of Ohioans. Voters turned out twice in numbers unheard of for off-year elections to protect the rights of every Ohioan and affirm that the people still rule.
But the fight didn’t end on Nov. 7. Unable to take a hint, Ohio’s legislative leaders have hinted that they plan to undo what voters approved. House Speaker Jason Stephens suggested reallocating Issue 2’s tax revenue from community reinvestment to prison construction. Senate President Matt Huffman suggested the legislature repeatedly propose new amendments to undo the protections of Issue 1 until one gets through, or even prohibit Ohio courts from interpreting Issue 1’s constitution-
al protections. They’ve made it clear that the will of the voters is only a suggestion to them. It seems they see themselves not as our representatives, but
as our rulers. With such resounding results from Ohio voters, we must ask why our representatives in the General Assembly are of such drastically different opinions than the people they’re supposed to represent. How come our representatives believe that a ban on abortion after 6 weeks, without exceptions for rape or incest, is reasonable when Ohio voters so clearly disagree? In a word: gerrymandering.
Our State House was elected on district maps found to be illegal by the Ohio Supreme Court because they’ve been drawn to disproportionately favor the Republican party. Despite the orders of the Court, Republican legislators refused to redraw the lines that guaranteed them comfortable reelections, and they remain in place.
While Republicans make up about 54% of Ohio’s electorate, they control 66% of Ohio’s U.S. House seats, 68% of seats in the state House, and 78% in the state Senate.
Issues 1 and 2 were the first time many of these representatives ever had to worry about the will of Ohio voters.
It’s time to make them listen again. Activist groups have already begun the process of put- ting a new redistricting process before voters in next year’s election. Their proposal would put an end to politicians choosing their constituents, and create a fully citizen-driven process. Nov. 7 showed what’s possible when we speak up and demand better. In the same spirit of reform that propelled Issues 1 and 2 to victory, we must remind the General Assembly who they represent.