Human Rights Campaign Endorses Ohio Ballot Initiative to Secure Abortion as a Legal Right in Ohio

by HRC Staff •

COLUMBUS, OHIO — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) announced its endorsement of Ohio’s "Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety” ballot initiative in November, which would amend the Ohio constitution to enshrine reproductive freedom and abortion rights in the Ohio Constitution.

HRC is endorsing Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights (OURR) – a group of local coalitions fighting to ensure Ohioans have the freedom to make personal health care decisions about pregnancy and abortion free from government interference, and will be supporting organizing efforts on-the-ground to rally Ohioans to vote “Yes” on the initiative.

Abortion is health care, and health care is a human right. Human Rights Campaign members and supporters in Ohio are ready to fight alongside local advocates, medical professionals, and all Ohioans to ensure access to safe, legal, equitable, and comprehensive reproductive medical care, including abortion, is available to every Ohioan.”

Kelley Robinson, Human Rights Campaign President

Last week, Ohioans showed up in record numbers to vote against Issue 1 in a special election, preserving the sacred principle of ‘one person, one vote’ and majority rule in the state. The turnout and result made clear Ohioans’ commitment to ensuring that LGBTQ+ rights, abortion rights, and, more broadly, Ohioans’ rights and values are reflected in how their state is governed.

With its endorsement, HRC is dedicated to activating its grassroots army of supporters and volunteers in Ohio and mobilizing Equality Voters in support of the ballot initiative. Equality Voters — of whom there are more than 2 million in Ohio and more than 62 million nationwide — are a voting bloc of demographically and geographically diverse Americans for whom LGBTQ+ equality is a top election issue, and who represented 39 percent of the 2022 electorate.

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