After calling a special August election with the most crucial constitutional question in Ohio for more than a century, just months after passing legislation prohibiting August elections, it is obvious that state Republicans are scheming for advantage.
The Ohio Supreme Court order to rewrite ballot language (“Court orders ballot board to rewrite special election ballot language,” Monday) is just the latest example of dishonorable tactics embraced by GOP to pass Issue 1.
The court was unanimous in ruling the Issue 1 ballot language must be corrected. But the Republican majority stopped far short of the language Democrats on the court supported in separate opinions.
The false characterization that “any” proposed constitutional amendment must meet the same standards to make the ballot has to be changed by court order.
The correct language will stipulate that legislative recommendations go to the ballot without any of the current or proposed new requirements for citizen-initiated amendment propositions.
The ballot language will be revised to correctly reflect the true degree of difficulty proposed to put a citizen initiated issue on the ballot. But the ballot will not explain the current threshold to pass an amendment nor will the court edit out descriptive language that is obvious in advocacy for the change.
Supporters of Issue 1 were especially happy with the Supreme Court order, indicating the ruling on ballot language would not have happened if the court had planned to rule the August election unlawful.
Issue 1 opponents have a separate case before the court claiming the General Assembly has not revoked the law against August special elections making the resolution authorizing the Issue 1 vote illegal.
The Blade has concluded the best thing that could happen to the Ohio Republican super-majority (“Editorial: Bring it on,” May 23) is strong repudiation of their power grab through defeat in an election they contrived for every possible advantage.
We are more convinced than ever the electorate is aroused by and opposed to Republican efforts to dilute the power of Ohio citizens.
Therefore it’s likely the highly political GOP majority on the state Supreme Court is waiting for polling on Issue 1 to decide whether the election can proceed.
If GOP justices see Issue 1 heading for an epic defeat with career-defining embarrassment for the entire Ohio Republican establishment, they will avert political disaster with a ruling against the validity of an August special election.
The narrow special interests ruling Republicans are trying to appease with Issue 1 will be sacrificed to the political expediency of retaining power.
It won’t be long before Republican leaders are begging the court behind the scenes to save them from a historic mistake of career ending proportion.
First Published June 14, 2023, 4:00 a.m.
