Ohio Ballot Measure, State Issue 1, is Rejected!

On August 9, the people of Ohio soundly rejected an amendment to the state constitution that would have upended 110 years of majority rule. If Issue 1 had received a simple majority of votes (50 percent+1 vote), it would have increased the threshold for passage of ballot measures to 60 percent, making it nearly impossible for future citizen measures to pass into law. A broad coalition of unions, community organizations, and current and former bipartisan lawmakers of Ohio came together to defeat Issue 1.

“The defeat of Issue 1 sends a clear message across the country that the will of the people will not be subverted by big money and special interests,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. ”The APWU stands firm in our commitment to defeating issues like this that strip power from citizens and dilute the power of our vote. We applaud everyone involved in this crucial victory for democracy.”

In a time of extreme partisanship, where the will of the people has been set aside, it is critical that the ability to enact change and pass meaningful legislative reforms remains fair and accessible.

“The attempt to dilute the power of a person's vote by moving the goalposts on citizen-led ballot measures is becoming more common,” said APWU Legislative and Political Director Judy Beard. “As people become frustrated with the gridlock in Congress and state legislatures, they are taking legislative action into their own hands, which scares some politicians and the corporations they are beholden to.”

Ohio Postal Workers Union President Steve Charles said, “Labor is strong in Ohio and the majority ruled in this issue.”

Ohio Postal Workers Union Administrative Vice President Vance Zimmerman added “I am very proud to be an APWU member from Ohio and proud of the work we did with the state and national to defeat Issue 1 and protect democracy.”

We want to thank our Ohio state leadership, especially President Steve Charles and Administrative Vice President Vance Zimmerman, for their commitment to this fight. We also want to thank our members across the state who stepped up and got involved, whether by volunteering or simply voting this issue down.