To the Editor,

Citizens who desire Freedom, Independence, and Liberty will vote “no” on Issue 1 in the next election on Aug. 8. Why?

Issue 1 was proposed by our legislature to permit a minority of voters to dominate the majority of Ohio citizens. A vote of 60% approval would be required to add an Amendment to our Ohio Constitution. Hence 40% plus one vote would be able to block the passage of any future Amendment desired by a majority of the voters!

Issue 1 is about being able to change the Ohio Constitution. Issue 1 states nothing about abortions, gun laws, gerrymandering, parental rights, agriculture or any other innuendos. This is a nonpartisan Issue. Past governors Bob Taft, Dick Celeste, John Kasich, and Ted Strickland, plus the former Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, Maureen O’Connor, all have made public statements against Issue 1.

Presently, 5% of the people in half of our counties who voted in the last gubernatorial election must sign a petition to have a proposed Amendment to our State Constitution placed on the ballot. The proposed Amendment would not become part of the Constitution unless 50% of the voters approved it. Since 1912, only 19 amendments initiated by citizen-petitions have been adopted. Most Amendments originated in the legislature.

If Issue 1 passes, any future Amendment to the Ohio Constitution proposed by the citizens, would require a petition with signatures of 5% of the voters in all 88 counties rather than from 44 counties. Each signature on the petition would have to be identical to the signature he/she signed at the time of voter registration. No grace period would be permitted to correct any mistakes a voter may have made in an honest attempt to sign a petition correctly. Obtaining 5% of the voters’ signatures in all 88 counties would be virtually impossible.

Presently, if a proposed Amendment is on the ballot, the Amendment only becomes law with the approval of 50% of the voters. This is the usual procedure for most organizations in the USA including FFA or any other school club, 4H clubs, Scouts, city meetings, political party meetings, etc. The basic principle of Issue 1 is undemocratic and opposite to the American values of the simple majority rule we have enjoyed for over 240 years.

Please vote “no” on Issue 1.

C. Leon Knore, PhD