North Dakota State Representative Brandon Prichard (R) is urging officials in Ohio to “ignore” the results of Tuesday’s election where a majority of Ohioans voted to enshrine the right to an abortion in the state’s Constitution.
“Direct democracy should not exist. Case-in-point: Ohio legalizing the slaughter of babies,” Prichard wrote on X. “It would be an act of courage to ignore the results of the election and not allow for the murder of Ohio babies.”
Ohio has a Republican governor and the GOP controls both chambers of the legislature. Lawmakers in 2019 passed legislation banning abortions after 6 weeks with no exceptions for rape and incest.
A federal judge later blocked the law, but it was reinstated just hours after the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade.
A Ohio lower court later granted a temporary restraining order then a preliminary injunction a few weeks later. The issue is before the Republican-controlled state Supreme Court where justice could have ultimately decided to reinforce the 6-week ban, unless the state constitution was changed.
In Tuesday’s election, 56.6% of Ohioans supported Issue 1 a ballot measure to change the state constitution to enshrine “an individual right to one’s own reproductive medical treatment,” including to make decisions on abortion, contraception, fertility treatment, continuing one’s own pregnancy and miscarriage care.
