Key Facts
Key Information
About
Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights is a coalition-led ballot committee that spearheaded Ohio Issue 1, the Ohio Reproductive Freedom Amendment, successfully enshrining abortion rights in the Ohio state constitution. The initiative qualified for the November 7, 2023 general election ballot after voters rejected a Republican-backed measure to raise the constitutional amendment threshold in August 2023. The amendment protects the right to make reproductive medical treatment decisions, including abortion before fetal viability (around 22 weeks), contraception, and fertility care, with post-viability exceptions for the patient's life or health. It passed with 2,367,502 yes votes (56.62%) to 1,817,134 no (43.38%). The campaign raised funds primarily from out-of-state donors, including Planned Parenthood ($10M+), labor unions (e.g., SEIU $5M+), and progressive groups (e.g., Open Society Foundations $1M+), and faced criticism from opponents for its heavy reliance on external funding and for campaign ads accused of downplaying the amendment's scope.