Many Republican state officeholders support the constitutional amendment on the August 8 special election ballot, which would make it harder to pass future amendments. Some have also said Issue 1 is on that ballot to shut down an abortion rights issue likely to be before voters in November. Though he hasn’t been as vocal as some, Ohio's lieutenant governor says he's on board as well.
Republican Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, a former secretary of state, says he'll vote for Issue 1, using the line many other Republicans do — that out-of-state special interests are trying to buy their way into Ohio's constitution.
"We need to make sure that we can stop that from happening, and this is a pretty reasonable way to go about it," Husted said.
The election for this single issue came after a campaign to pressure state lawmakers to put the issue before voters. It was paid for by a billionaire Republican donor from Illinois.
A law that banned most August special elections passed last year, but Republicans won a challenge in the Ohio Supreme Court, which ruled that law didn't apply to lawmakers who put the amendment on the ballot.
Issue 1 would require 60% voter approval for future amendments, such as the abortion rights amendment expected in November, but would also increase signature requirements to make it harder for citizens and groups to get amendments on the ballot.
Husted has filed paperwork and set up a website for a campaign for governor in 2026.
