Cleveland Issue 1, a maneuver by right-wing Ohio legislators to thwart efforts to enshrine abortion access in the state constitution, went down in defeat Aug. 8. In a special election closely watched around the country, 57% of the voters said “no” to requiring a 60% supermajority to amend Ohio’s

None of the […] lying propaganda by the right wing was able to sway the outcome. Now the reproductive justice movement can work on winning the vote in November, which will make Ohio the seventh state where voters either enacted a reproductive justice initiative or shot down laws blocking abortion access. Polls show Ohio’s Reproductive Freedom passing with a significant majority.

More state votes over abortion access are likely to take place in 2024. Every win helps to limit the impact of the horrendous 2022 decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that overturned Roe v. Wade and ended almost 50 years of legalized abortion access. Within six months after the ruling, 24 states instituted full or partial abortion bans.

Regardless of the outcome at the polls, the fight for reproductive justice must continue on many fronts. These include clinic defense, mass rallies and underground efforts, such as those of “The Janes” in the 1970s, to provide a safe abortion to anyone who needs one.