Party leaders: “Our movement has all the momentum right now.”

The Warren County Democratic Party and Butler County Democratic Party announced on Wednesday that they have collected over 10,000 petition signatures to put the Reproductive Rights Amendment on the November ballot, significantly exceeding their counties’ respective goals.

Warren County reported collecting over 6,000 signatures — more than doubling their initial goal of 3,000 — and Butler County reported over 4,000 signatures, exceeding their county’s goals as well. The signatures were collected by hundreds of volunteers knocking on doors in their neighborhoods, tabling at community events, and holding special signing events throughout southwestern Ohio.

Democratic leaders in both counties see the enthusiastic response as a clear demonstration of the energy behind the movement to secure Americans’ reproductive freedoms and put permanent legal safeguards in place to stop politicians from banning miscarriage treatment, abortion, contraception, and fertility treatments.

“Our movement has all the momentum right now. We stand proud, united, and fiercely committed to reproductive rights”, said Bethe Goldenfield, Warren County Democratic Party chair. “Countless volunteers from across the political spectrum took action and talked to their neighbors about what’s at stake for Ohio families. Thanks to local Democrats and folks who believe in autonomy to make personal medical decisions, Ohio voters will have a say in their reproductive freedoms this November.”

“Here in Butler County, we found that people of all political persuasions — liberals, moderates, and conservatives — were not just willing but eager to sign the petition,” added Butler County Democratic Party chairwoman Kathy Wyenandt. “Ohioans believe that reproductive decisions are each individual’s to make, and want to protect their rights in Ohio’s state constitution.”

Warren and Butler County’s petition signatures will now be combined with petitions from the rest of the state and delivered to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office. If enough signatures are validated, the amendment will be placed on the November 7th general election ballot for Ohio voters to decide.

But Warren and Butler County Democratic leaders — and the broader coalition to protect Ohioans’ basic rights as Americans — say they aren’t finished yet.

Their next task will be to defeat Issue 1 in the August election, which the Ohio Republican Party put on the ballot with the specific aim of giving the anti-choice minority the power to block the pro-choice majority from enshrining reproductive rights in our state constitution.

“Issue 1 is a direct assault by special interests and out-of-state billionaires on our democracy, and an attempt to lock in minority rule in Ohio, so it’s imperative to vote NO on Issue 1 on August 8th,” said Goldenfield.

After the August election, organizers will turn their attention towards November, and winning the general election to enshrine reproductive freedoms — including abortion, contraception, and fertility treatments — in Ohio’s state constitution.

But after seeing the response to these petition drives, Warren and Butler County Democratic leaders are very optimistic about November.

“These signature numbers send a clear message: Ohioans are with us,” Wyenandt remarked. “I’m incredibly confident that in November, we’re going to enshrine reproductive freedoms in our state constitution and put them permanently out of the reach of the far-right gerrymandered legislature and their goal of imposing their narrow preferences on everyone in our state.”

“Now, we shift gears to protect majority rule by urging Warren County and all Ohians to vote NO on August 8th,” Goldenfield added. “Voting down Issue 1 won’t just protect Ohioans’ voice on reproductive rights, but also ensure that We The People will have the final say on many other important rights and freedoms moving forward — including fair redistricting, voting rights, minimum wage, union rights, workplace safety, and more. We’re confident that Ohio voters understand the stakes and will soundly reject this attempt by billionaire special interests to impose minority rule.”