This election season is one of the most important in our lifetimes. Up for election are several offices that have a direct impact on our civil rights and liberties. Those elected will have a say in whether Ohioans will have reproductive freedom, true bail reform, the fair maps our democracy demands, and so much more. We must vote like our rights depend on it – because they do! Please vote all the way down your ballot and leave no race or issue unchecked! Below are just a few examples.
Abortion
Elected officials have been dismantling our rights to reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy for decades. The June 24 SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade sent our nation into a panic, and sparked an immediate crisis in Ohio, after the previously blocked six-week abortion ban, SB23, took effect overnight.
Although our legal team recently won a tremendous victory restoring abortion access in Ohio, we know that the fight is far from over. Extremist anti-abortion politicians won’t stop fighting to take away our rights, but we have an opportunity to take away their power to do so. Here are a few offices that will have significant impact on abortion rights.
- Supreme Court of Ohio: While we are currently experiencing relief from SB 23, the state has indicated a plan to appeal. It is imperative to support candidates committed to reproductive freedom, because it is very likely that our legal challenge will ultimately end up before the Supreme Court of Ohio. There are three seats up for election this November, which will determine the balance of the court. View our full candidate profiles to learn more about each candidate’s position.
- U.S. Senate: In November, Ohioans will be electing a new Senator to the United States Senate. This is an opportunity to vote for a candidate committed to supporting reproductive freedom and codifying Roe at the federal level. You can learn more about each candidate’s position by viewing recordings of their October 10 and October 17 debates.
Redistricting
Ohioans deserve fair maps, and our democracy requires it. The actions of the Ohio Redistricting Commission, which continued to pass unconstitutional map after unconstitutional map, showed Ohioans across the state that in order to get the fair maps we deserve, we must also elect leaders committed to upholding our democracy.
Over the last decade, Ohioans have seen the ways in which gerrymandering across the state has bred extremism in our statehouse. Lawmakers continue to pass bills that do not reflect the will of the majority of Ohioans, with little to no repercussions. We have the power to change that.
Up for election this year are the seats of every voting member of the Ohio Redistricting Commission.
- Governor
- Secretary of State
- Auditor
- Ohio Senate President
- Ohio Senate Minority Leader
- Ohio Speaker of the House
- Ohio House Minority Leader
Bail Reform
On the ballot this November is Issue 1. What exactly is Issue 1, and why is the ACLU of Ohio urging you to VOTE NO?
Issue 1 is a divisive, misguided, and political effort to solve a problem that does not exist. This potential amendment to our state constitution would mandate judges consider public safety when setting cash bail. This ballot measure ignores the fact that cash bail does not keep us safe.
Cash bail creates a system of wealth-based detention, which allows wealthy people to purchase their freedom while the poor languish in jail. Keeping people locked in jail simply because they cannot pay for their freedom does not create a safer Ohio. Issue 1 upholds a broken system where wealthy, dangerous individuals go free, leaving the impact of cash bail to fall most heavily on our Black and low-income neighbors.
True, bipartisan bail reform that centers public safety and goes a long way to end wealth-based detention is available to us via HB 315. We must use our power at the voting booth to reject Issue 1 and vote for legislators committed to supporting HB 315 instead.
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