Letter to the editor: The League of Women Voters Ohio supports a no vote on Issue 1

The following letter to the editor was submitted in response to a question from The Portager about the League of Women Voters’ position on Issue 1. As a nonpartisan nonprofit, the League of Women Voters does not support or oppose parties or candidates, but issues are nonpartisan.

The LWV Ohio, including LWV Northern Portage and Kent and 32 more chapters across Ohio, supports a NO vote on Issue 1 as an assault on direct democracy.

For more than 100 years, the LWV core principle has been to ensure every citizen’s vote is respected and elected officials’ accountability to those voters is clear. We take no partisan “side” in any election, nor do we endorse candidates.

We find Issue 1 shreds the ability of citizens to petition for change to the people and by the people.

In fact, citizen-initiated petitioning is hard, but it is direct democracy, voter-to-voter. It is the only route outside the legislature to effect change.

But make no mistake, it’s about more than shifting from 50+1 to 60+1 as a majority rule.

If passed, it will devastate how citizen questions can even get on the ballot.

More than 8 million Ohioans are registered to vote. The LWV encourages a NO vote on Issue 1, but moreover, we hope you will vote Tuesday. Vote411.org.

Barbara Hipsman Springer
Former president, Kent LWV
Founding board member, The Portager