TOLEDO, Ohio — A coalition of Ohio's abortion rights organizations is hoping to put reproductive rights on next year's ballot and make them constitutional rights.
The group, called Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom, is a collaboration between the ACLU of Ohio, Abortion Fund Ohio, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, Ohio Women’s Alliance, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, Preterm-Cleveland, Pro-Choice Ohio and URGE -- Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity.
Jaime Miracle, the deputy director of Pro-Choice Ohio and leader in the coalition, said following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and the shift in abortion policy in Ohio she's seen many cases of women in distress, even risking complications or death from not having abortion access.
Now, the coalition is starting an exploratory campaign to change the laws in the Buckeye state.
"When we polled this summer, over 80% of Ohioans think abortion should be available in some form," Miracle said. "We know that the will of the people is behind us and that a ballot initiative is the only way to overcome our gerrymandered, rigged legislative system and get to the true will of the people."
Miracle said the bill is still in its early days and stated they're still ironing out the language of the writing.
She also said it will require the support of a large number of Ohioans before it even makes the ballot.
"It'll be an almost herculean effort with people across the state collecting signatures and showing just how much they care about the initiative," Miracle said. "The law says you need 400,000 signatures, with 5% coming from half the counties in the state."
Miracle is confident that if the initiative actually makes it to the voting booth, it will pass. But her opponents aren't convinced.
Ed Sitter, the executive director of Greater Toledo Right for Life, said his organization will actively campaign against the issue as it gains momentum, and believes voters are uninformed.
"It's the taking of an innocent human life, a defenseless life that has no voice for itself. Our job will be to educate Ohioans as to extremes of abortion," he said.
Perhaps the potential initiative's biggest hurdle will be the state's own administration, which has outlined an anti-abortion stance for years.
"We're a pro-life administration, it's what I believe," Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a 2019 interview with WTOL 11. "I think government has a responsibility, if nothing else, to protect the most vulnerable members of society."
And this year, House Resolution 6, a recent measure proposed in the Ohio House, could change the number of votes needed to add a constitutional amendment, potentially requiring 60% of the vote to make a change instead of just over 50%.
If the measure passes, it could hurt the coalition's chances. But Miracle said she isn't worried.
"I have full confidence that people will reject House Resolution 6 if it comes on the ballot, and will be there to make sure abortion access does get written into our constitution when that is on the ballot as well," she said.