Abortion rights advocates win major victory in Ohio as voters reject GOP plan to thwart ballot measure
Ohio voters have resoundingly rejected a measure that would make it more difficult to amend the state’s constitution, a proposal that Republican officials bluntly admitted was an effort to kneecap an upcoming ballot measure asking voters to enshrine a right to abortion care. That proposal has failed, with roughly 65 per cent of the vote tallied by Tuesday night after polls had closed, according to projections from the Associated Press. Issue 1 would have required that proposed amendments to the state constitution receive at least 60 per cent of the vote, raising the threshold substantially from a current simple majority vote. It also would have increased the minimum number of petition signatures that groups would have to collect before qualifying an issue to get on a ballot. The proposal’s failure means that a November referendum on abortion rights will need only 50 per cent of the vote to enshrine those protections into the state’s constitution, a major victory for abortion rights advocates and democratic campaigns in the aftermath of the US Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Roe v Wade. President Joe Biden called the measure a “blatant attempt to weaken voters’ voices and further erode the freedom of women to make their own health care decisions.” “Ohioans spoke loud and clear, and tonight democracy won,” he said in a statement. Within the last year, voters have also turned out in record numbers to protect abortion rights in California, Kansas, Michigan and Vermont, underscoring the overwhelming unpopularity of the Supreme Court’s decision and the volatile landscape for reproductive healthcare in its wake, while scrambling anti-abortion campaigns from Republican officials emboldened by the ruling. Issue 1 campaign Protect Our Constitution was largely supported by GOP mega-donor and Illinois businessman Richard Uihlein. A coalition of abortion right, civil rights and democratic advocacy groups joined a No On Issue 1 campaign. “Tonight was a major victory for democracy in Ohio,” the group said in a statement following projections of the measure’s defeat. “The majority still rules in Ohio, and the people’s power has been preserved – because Ohio voters showed up and overwhelmingly voted down Issue 1.” Ohio voters saw the proposal for “what it was: a deceptive power grab designed to silence their voices and diminish their voting power,” the group added. Kelly Hall, executive director of the Fairness Project, said the results mark an “incredibly profound and inspiring day for democracy”. “When faced with the choice of whether to allow politicians and special interests to consolidate power and strip voters of their rights, Ohioans fought back,” she said in a statement. “The defeat of Issue 1 should send a clear message to other extremist officials around the country that democracy will not die; people are ready to defend their rights against blatant attacks like Issue 1.” The upcoming proposal for a constitutional amendment in November will ask Ohio voters whether “every individual has a right to make and carry out one’s reproductive decisions.” After the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization last June, Ohio lawmakers swiftly outlawed most abortion after roughly six weeks of pregnancy, a law that is currently suspended by a state court injunction but could be reinstated by the state Supreme Court. A vote to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution would effectively overrule any such law. Abortion rights advocates and providers have warned that Ohio’s ban, which does not include exceptions for pregnancies from rape or incest, ignited a healthcare crisis that endangered patients and their families across the state, forcing people to seek care hundreds of miles out of state and navigate complicated legal and medical minefields while experiencing pregnancy complications. Ohio Republicans initially canceled August elections altogether, which have historically low turnout. But in May, they reversed that decision to put Issue 1 on the ballot – a decision that appears to have backfired for them. Nearly 600,000 Ohio voters cast their ballots early, with voters reporting busy polling locations across the state on election day. Read More Texas judge sides with women after harrowing testimony over anti-abortion law DeSantis won’t rule out national abortion ban but suggests there’s no ‘mileage’ left in Congress
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Astros stun Orioles 7-6 on Kyle Tucker's grand slam off Félix Bautista
BALTIMORE (AP) — Kyle Tucker’s grand slam off Félix Bautista in the top of the ninth inning gave the Houston Astros a 7-6 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night.
1970-01-01 08:00
Western allies receive increasingly 'sobering' updates on Ukraine's counteroffensive: 'This is the most difficult time of the war'
Weeks into Ukraine's highly anticipated counteroffensive, Western officials describe increasingly "sobering" assessments about Ukrainian forces' ability to retake significant territory, four senior US and western officials briefed on the latest intelligence told CNN.
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Russia says shot down two Ukrainian drones headed for Moscow
Two Ukrainian combat drones headed for Moscow were shot down, Russian officials said on Wednesday, the latest in a surge of drone...
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Arcia's ninth-inning double lifts Braves to 8-6 win over Pirates after Acuña leaves game early
Orlando Arcia’s two-run double with two outs in the top of the ninth capped a three-run inning and rallied the MLB-best Atlanta Braves to an 8-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night after star right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. left the game
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From upsets to record attendances, these are the trends that have emerged at the Women's World Cup
The traditional elite being cut down to size has been the standout theme at the Women's World Cup ahead of the quarterfinals
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Aces ease by Wings 104-84 behind A’ja Wilson's 28 points and 14 rebounds
A’ja Wilson scored 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Kelsey Plum added 20 points and the Las Vegas Aces eased past the Dallas Wings 104-84
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Dave Roberts, Dodgers fire back at Padres pitcher's 'bush league' comments
Padres starter Seth Lugo accused the Dodgers of knowing what pitches were coming on Monday. On Tuesday, they fired back at the right-hander.After the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 13-7 on Monday, fueled by an eight-run fourth inning, Padres starter Seth Lugo said he believed that...
1970-01-01 08:00
Royals hit 3 home runs, beat Red Sox 9-3 to spoil season debut of Boston's Trevor Story
Drew Waters, MJ Melendez and Michael Massey each hit two-run home runs and the Kansas City Royals snapped a three-game losing streak with a 9-3 win over the Boston Red Sox
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Kyle Tucker's 9th-inning grand slam off Félix Bautista lifts Astros to 7-6 victory over Orioles
Kyle Tucker’s grand slam off Félix Bautista in the top of the ninth inning gave the Houston Astros a 7-6 victory over the Baltimore Orioles
1970-01-01 08:00
Tauchman and Taillon lead the surging Cubs past the Mets 3-2 at Citi Field
Mike Tauchman hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning and Jameson Taillon retired his final 16 batters to win his fourth straight start as the Chicago Cubs beat the New York Mets 3-2
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AWC, Ant Group Partner for Wide-ranging Initiatives to Enable Seamless Cross-border Payments for Consumers, Businesses
BANGKOK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 8, 2023--
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