The Republican-controlled Ohio State Supreme Court upheld a measure presented by the Republican-controlled legislature that would allow a special election in August for a ballot measure that would raise the required percentage of voters to pass a ballot initiative to amend the state constitution from 50% to 60%, NBC News reports. Only a plurality of votes cast on the measure would be needed to pass it, just as only the four Republicans on the court used their slim one-vote majority to screw voters.
Conservatives rushed the plan for the special election after seeing support for an amendment to the state constitution enshrining the right to an abortion would get more than half the population, but perhaps not overwhelming support. Knowing special elections tend to be low turnout, with conservatives typically the dominant voting blocs, Republicans saw the opportunity to get the most ardent partisans to reduce the rights of all Ohioans while the population enjoys the last days of summer before school starts.