Preserving Ohio's Democracy
and Majority Rule by Opposing Issue 1

 


Concerned Ohio business leaders signed an open letter expressing opposition to Issue 1. The formerly proposed constitutional amendment threatened the integrity of Ohio’s democratic processes and aimed to ensure that a simple majority could no longer pass constitutional amendments.

The election was held on August 8, 2023, and Issue 1 was defeated 57%-43%, paving the way for a November 2023 reproductive freedom ballot victory and the November 2024 objective redistricting ballot initiative.

Press Releases: June 14th | July 18th | August 1st

Digital Ads

The open letter was amplified with digital ads featuring two prominent business leaders.

Jeni Britton, Founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

John Pepper, former Chairman and CEO of Procter & Gamble

In the Press

  • The Columbus Dispatch | By Richard A. Stoff
    Ohio’s democracy will be tested in a special election on August 8th that seeks to raise the threshold for citizen ballot initiatives from 50% to 60%. Leadership Now Senior Advisor Richard Stoff provides a powerful perspective on what is at stake. Read the article here.

  • Crain’s Cleveland Business | By Editorial Staff
    Leadership Now Project’s open letter is compared to the Ohio Chamber position, reporting that while the Chamber’s position is “understandable” it doesn't make it right and calling Issue 1 a “pure power grab”. Read the article here.

  • The Plain Dealer (Cleveland.com) | By Andrew J. Tobias

    Ohio is entering the final two weeks before the special election on Aug. 8, when voters will decide whether to approve State Issue 1, which would make it harder to amend the state constitution. This article provides a timeline of events.

  • Columbus Business First | By Doug Buchanan
    The lingering question for me is why this measure, and why now? The referendum process in Ohio has not been an “easy target” subject to abuse, as Issue 1 proponents claim. Read the article here.

  • The Columbus Dispatch | By Mike Curtain
    "Their whole game plan is to amass more power, by taking it from us. That requires a lot of smoke," Michael Curtin. Read the article here.

  • Los Angeles Times | By The Times Editorial Board
    Ohio legislators are holding a special election to increase the threshold needed to pass a constitutional amendment protecting abortion access. Read the article here.

  • The Plain Dealer (Cleveland.com) | By Andrew J. Tobias
    Count the Republican candidate for Cuyahoga County executive in 2022 among the GOP opponents of State Issue 1, the proposal to make it harder to amend the Ohio constitution. Read the article here.

  • The Plain Dealer (Cleveland.com) | By Sean McDonnell
    Two dozen business leaders in Ohio signed an open letter opposing Issue 1, a ballot-initiative that would make it harder to amend Ohio's state constitution. Read the article here.

 

Open Letter

As Ohio business and community leaders, we are troubled by the Ohio Legislature’s action to rush through a constitutional amendment in an August special election. There is no valid reason to upend a 1912 law protecting Ohioans’ rights in an ill-conceived, off-cycle special election.

A robust, functioning democracy is central to this country’s greatness and critical to sustaining our extraordinary free enterprise system. Business depends on a healthy, vibrant democracy – one that includes a stable rule of law, and reliable rules and procedures for securing changes to our laws.

Issue 1 on the ballot is a proposal to replace a simple majority standard for constitutional amendments in Ohio with a supermajority of 60 percent of the vote to approve constitutional amendments. Instead of holding this referendum on Election Day in November, the August special election will cost the taxpayers $20 million and, conducted in the dead of summer, all but assures a low turnout to make this consequential change.

There is no state emergency, no fiscal crisis, no health or safety emergency. Our fellow citizens of Ohio, endowed with common sense, should see this “special” election for what it is: an attempt to limit the number of Ohioans who will participate in their constitutional right to vote. The call for this special August ballot issue is a disturbing action which will only serve to add to the cynicism already felt by many Americans.

Political efforts like this, will only take us further down a path in which people no longer believe in our institutions. Furthermore, it destabilizes our state’s democratic processes which will be harmful to our business climate in the near and long term. It sends the wrong message to the nation and poses a risk to attracting and retaining 21st century talent, so vital to our state’s well-being.

Why does this matter? Take for example, republican Governor Bob Taft’s Third Frontier Project, which has been vital to Ohio’s technology-based economic development, spurring Intel, Honda, Google and Amazon to grow jobs in the state. The Third Frontier Project was premised on passage of a constitutional amendment. That ballot initiative would not have passed under a 60% supermajority requirement.

We oppose Issue 1, the proposed constitutional amendment, and urge our business colleagues — and all Ohioans — to vote “NO” on this ill-conceived ballot issue.