Voting “No” vs. “Yes:” Ohio’s Special Election, Abortion Access, and Why Every Vote Matters
On Tuesday, August 8th, Ohioans voted on Issue 1. The passage of this Issue would have made it more difficult for Ohioans to add constitutional amendments to the Constitution in three ways. Increase voting approval from a simple majority- 50 percent plus 1- to a super majority -60 percent plus oneRequire signatures from 5% of the voting population in all 88 counties in Ohio, instead of the current 5% requirement from 44 countiesEliminate the 10-day grace period to collect and replace signatures deemed faulty by the state
After a record amount of 3,059,440 votes cast in a special election, Issue 1 lost. With Ohioans in even the most contentious regions shot down of the apparent power grab pulled by the current supermajority. 
Images above detail counted votes of Clark and Ashtabula counties in the November 2020 general election and the August 2023 Ohio Special election. Images detail how close voting in August 2023 election was in some regions of the state that voted for the Trump nominee in 2020.
But why did this issue matter so much, why didn’t this issue appear in November’s election?
In November 2023, Ohioans will be able to vote to enshrine abortion rights in the constitution. This amendment will also be titled, Issue 1. After the overturning of Roe v Wade in August 2022, over 20 conservative states started, proceeded, or passed legislation that banned and severely punished those performing or needing abortion access. Some of the severest laws came from states like Texas, Alabama, and Indiana which have completely banned the procedure with no exceptions. Other bans include a 6-week gestational limit when most women do not know they are pregnant. 
Abortion Laws by State
View the interactive map regarding each state’s legal standing with abortion care at The Center of Reproductive Rights
In Ohio, Judge Christian Jenkins indefinitely blocked the state’s ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, and abortion remains legal till 21 weeks. However, with continued political challenges nationally, the time frame for an abortion continues to be challenged in the legal space, as we have seen in states like Indiana.
With the overturning of Roe v Wade, uterus-having persons are now suffering physical, emotional, and mental injury due to the restriction on our autonomy.
Blackness and Reproductive Health
The conception of the current maternal health system is built on the bodies of Black women. Current Gynecology practices came from J. Marion Sims who would use enslaved Black women for his “studies”.
Another relevant fact of abortion access in the United States is the use of herbal concoctions to abort babies during the times of Cattle Slavery. Black women, who were viewed as essential property to continue making property- Black babies- were able to take their autonomy in small ways through is practice.
As many fantastic movements flourished in the 60s, Black women continued to champion the political movement of reproductive rights for Black and Brown women. Often left out in sites of female resistance, Black reproductive activist, like Elaine Brown, continued to make spaces of resistance.
As we continue to understand our history and the sites of resistance that our ancestors created and made, we have to understand how that history systemically shows in our policies and continues to punish Black women and people.
“Black women, during the slavery era, resisted control of their bodies, including by having abortions. Abortion has been a means of resistance for Black women in the same way that exploiting Black women’s reproductive labor has been a form of racial and gender oppression from the very founding of this nation”.
Dorothy Roberts, Legal Scholar, Vox
Black people seek abortion care more than other demographics. With a rate of 37% in 2019, Black women experience unintended pregnancy at higher rates and seek effective care at higher rates.
Commonly, the higher rate in the use of the procedure is used against the Black women when confronted with “traditional” values that exist in Blackness. However, this perspective restricts the autonomy of Black women in the name of shame and an almost seemingly path of righteousness, negating the necessaries of the procedure even when Black people decide to continue the pregnancy.
These abortion bans includes the criminalization of miscarriages and stillbirths, pushing women to the point of sepsis before an abortion is performed. With Black women having a 43% higher risk of experiencing miscarriage; and more than twice as likely to experience a stillbirth, this criminalization of pregnancy loss pushes Black women into the pipeline of imprisonment; which spurs to the removal of rights and allowance of “slavery nor involuntary servitude” conditions per the 13th amendment.
For a population that already suffers from the worst outcomes in OBGYN and maternal health, this brink of death is beyond dangerous. Black women are 2.6 times, regardless of income or education, more likely to die in childbirth compared to their white peers. In Ohio, Black women are 2.2 times more likely.
Graphic display of Maternal Disparities in Ohio by race from the Health Policy Institute of Ohio
Abortion and Every Vote Matters
Black women, Black Queer Folks, and Black Non-Gender Confirming folks, already suffer from a lack of access, whether it be a competent medical practice that addresses the needs of Black people in medical settings. It would be remised to not mention the high-level publicized cases of maternal suffering from Beyonce and Serena Williams. However, the continued lack of access to abortion centers, safe sex education, and contraception access are all encompassed in the reproductive, sexual, and bodily freedom that Black folks are allotted. Proper information and education is critical for informed policy decisions that better our marginalized communities. Healthcare materials
Taking stock in our Reproductive Health by educating ourselves and community on the programs and resources that we have is necessary to uplift our community in the health policy space.
Voting STRATEGIES
The ability to vote is a complicated part of policy involvement. There are a number of initiatives that prepare and inform Ohio and national voters for legislation and officials that will effect them.
Educational Resources
Being policy-educated takes time, but all Ohio residents should be politically educated because The Personal Is Political. These are some resources that can help in community connection and political action that effectively communicate.
Conclusion
Conservative legislatures continue to attack the personal autonomy of all marginalized groups in the United States. From our Black LGBTQIA+ folks, persons with disabilities, and Black cisgendered women these intentional restrictions on bodily autonomy, choice, and the right to privacy continue to pose legislative threats to our community's freedoms.
For Black people, the body is a site of resistance, by just simply existing.In November, it is imperative to make sure that future generations do not lose their access to abortion by lawsuit or precedent. All eyes will be on Ohio, with the state being the ONLY state with abortion on the ballot. The August election was a precursor of how bodily autonomy continues to be restricted in the State of Ohio, with the Secretary of State of Ohio leading the charge for “Yes in August” Frank LaRose running for US senate and blaming everyone for his failure to recognize the will of the people.
Abortion access is a right. It is a necessary medical procedure that uterus-having persons should have their choice in when and where they receive one. To protect the progress that generations before us have laid, remember to vote "Yes" to enshrine abortion rights in November. References
https://www.politico.com/2020-election/results/ohio/
https://www.npr.org/2022/09/14/1123054970/ohio-abortion-ban-law-blocked-judge
https://reproductiverights.org/maps/abortion-laws-by-state/
https://www.npr.org/2023/05/22/1177425651/texas-women-sue-abortion
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/12/texas-fetus-rights-prison-guard-lawsuit-abortion
https://www.vox.com/23205101/abortion-rights-reproductive-justice-black-women
https://www.guttmacher.org/gpr/2008/08/abortion-and-women-color-bigger-picture
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-56889861
https://www.tommys.org/baby-loss-support/miscarriage/risk-miscarriage-black-women
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/stillbirth/features/kf-black-mothers-stillbirth.html
About the Author: Kendra Asiedu, BA
Kendra serves as an Intern for Black Health Explained. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Kendra currently works as a Legislative Aide for Columbus Councilmember Shayla Favor.
