Statement from URGE on the Ohio Abortion Ballot Initiative Signature Certification

Ohio state election officials have certified signatures collected in support of the abortion ballot initiative, making Ohio the only state where abortion will appear on the ballot in November 

Ohio – Today, Ohio state election officials have validated the hundreds of thousands of signatures collected by advocates across the state, confirming that Ohioans will have a say on abortion this November. Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, the umbrella organization leading this effort, worked with thousands of young people and volunteers to organize the biggest campaign for reproductive freedom in the nation this year, making Ohio the only state with abortion on the ballot.

URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity has been a leading member of this coalition, bringing the voices of young people to the table for this effort – many of whom are particularly impacted by abortion bans. URGE has championed this ballot initiative because young people in Ohio deserve access to abortion care.

Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE, issued the following statement:

“Young people, Black women, and reproductive justice advocates have been on the frontlines in Ohio, organizing and fighting back against extremist lawmakers who attempt to take away not only abortion access, but self-determination and freedom, from all of us. This ballot initiative is the product of our collective hard work and commitment to protecting basic human rights for all Ohioans. This is a major step for Ohio, but it’s bigger than just one state: this is about reversing the tide of abortion bans and securing a better future for us all. Abortion is a winning issue, period. Voters have shown this in state after state. URGE helped secure abortion access in Kansas in 2022, and in 2023, we plan to do the same in Ohio. 

“Democracy is on the line in Ohio and young people are organizing to defend it in the upcoming elections. This fight in Ohio – like the fight for abortion in other states – is led by the very communities most impacted by abortion bans. In the face of each obstacle, we continue to speak up against abortion bans and politicians who seek to deny young people the right to self-determination and bodily autonomy, and we won’t back down.”