Ohio Supreme Court Orders Rewrite of Misleading Abortion Ballot Language

The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that one element of the ballot language describing a fall abortion rights question is misleading and must be rewritten. The court invalidated language suggesting that the amendment would limit "citizens of the State" from passing laws to restrict abortion access, when it actually limits state government from doing so. The court ordered the Ohio Ballot Board to reconvene and rewrite that section. The decision marks the second time this year that the court has ordered a rewrite of ballot language for constitutional amendments. The approved language would mislead voters by suggesting that the amendment would limit the rights of individual citizens to oppose abortion. The abortion amendment, if passed, would establish a fundamental right to reproductive freedom with reasonable limits.