Summary:
- Polls are opening in Ohio for a special election that proposes changes to the state's Constitution.
- Issue one on the ballot aims to make it more difficult for voters to change the state's Constitution, requiring a 60% approval vote.
- The initiative also demands petitioners to collect signatures from all 88 counties, up from the current 44.
- Early voting turnout has been substantial, with thousands of voters casting their ballots across different counties.
- Views on the proposed 60% approval requirement are divided, with critics calling it unfair and undemocratic.
- Polls will remain open until 7.30 tonight, offering absentee voters the opportunity to drop off their ballots.
Polls open in just about an hour, actually under an hour now. 59 minutes for Ohio's special election, and we've already seen a lot of Ohioans out voting early. First news reporter Abigail Cludy joins us live from Mahoney County Board of Elections with everything you need to know about issue one.
Good morning Josh and Anna. Yeah, polls open at 6.30 here, like you said, just under an hour now for voters across the state. And issue one is what's at stake. The ballot initiative would make it harder for voters to change the Constitution of the state of Ohio. Any newly proposed constitutional amendment placed on a statewide ballot would require at least 60% approval vote to pass. It would also require petitioners to collect signatures from all 88 counties for any initiative petition. Right now that's at 44 counties. Early voting turnout has been heavy across the valley. Trumbull County with over 9,000 voters. Mahoning with over 12,000. And Columbia County with over 3,000. Yesterday I spoke with Youngstown's Community Mobilization Coalition as well as the Mahoning County Republican Party. On this 60% vote proposed change, here's what they had to say. When the legislators can still have a simple majority, but the citizens still have to have 60%. Which is unfair. It's undemocratic. I think that whole one vote, one person, one vote is very misleading. If you want to change legislation, make difference, win elections in Ohio. Polls are open until 7.30 tonight and if you're voting absent to you and didn't mail your ballot yesterday, you have until polls close. Do drop it off at your county board of elections. Live in Youngstown, Abigail Cloutier, First News this morning. Hi everyone, I'm Lindsay Watson.
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