Press Releases

OHIO REPUBLICANS MOUNT AN ASSAULT ON DIRECT DEMOCRACY WITH ANTI-BALLOT MEASURE BILL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
MAY 10, 2023

PRESS CONTACT:
Monica Garcia, [email protected] 

COLUMBUS, OHIO — Today, Republican lawmakers in Ohio passed legislation raising the threshold to pass citizen-led ballot initiatives. HJR 1/SJR 2 raises the threshold to pass ballot initiatives to 60% and also makes it harder for an amendment to make it on the ballot by requiring signature collection in all 88 counties instead of 44 counties and eliminating the “cure period,” during which a campaign is allowed to collect additional signatures to try to make up for a shortfall.

Stand Up America Executive President and Founder Sean Eldridge issued the following statement:

“For more than a century, Ohioans have used ballot initiatives to make their voices heard on critically important issues. Now, MAGA Republicans are launching an all-out assault against direct democracy in an attempt to take away any freedoms they don’t agree with. 

“The changes made by HJR1 and SJR would dilute the power of voters by making it exponentially harder to pass citizen-led initiatives, including a ballot initiative to protect the right to access abortion care, and give lawmakers carte blanche to advance their right-wing agenda.

“As someone who grew up in Ohio, I’m appalled by Republican efforts to try to silence everyday citizens and lock in minority rule. Our elected leaders should be working to protect our democracy, not thwart it. Governor DeWise should veto this legislation and stop his party from undermining democracy in the Buckeye State.”

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About Stand Up America
Stand Up America is a progressive advocacy organization with nearly two million community members across the country. Focused on grassroots advocacy to stand up to corruption and voter suppression and build a more representative democracy, Stand Up America has driven over 1.7 million calls to lawmakers, registered over 100,000 voters, mobilized thousands of protestors, and contacted tens of millions of voters.

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