Issue 1 support strong in Springfield, but most rural precincts supported Issue 2

Abortion protection and marijuana issues both approved in Clark County.
Voters fill out their ballots Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023 at the election poll in the Springfield Township government center. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

Voters fill out their ballots Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023 at the election poll in the Springfield Township government center. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

This week, Ohio voters passed two statewide ballot measures. Issue 1 guarantees a limited right to an abortion in the state constitution, while Issue 2 legalizes the possession and sale of marijuana.

Both measures also passed among Clark County residents, who voted narrowly in favor of Issue 1 at 50.48% and more strongly in favor of Issue 2 with 55.54% support.

The Issue 1 margin in the unofficial results stands at 388 votes of the 40,790 ballots counted on Election Night. The final total could change depending on provisional ballots and mail-in ballots received in time to be counted.

Statewide, voters approved Issue 1 by a margin of 57 percent to 43 percent out of 3.8 million votes. Issue 2 won by a similar, but slightly smaller, margin.

A Springfield News-Sun analysis of election results showed where the measures received the strongest support and biggest opposition.

Issue 1

Support for Issue 1 centered almost entirely in Springfield itself. All of the top 20 precincts with the widest support for abortion rights were within the city, with four precincts garnering more than 75% support. Enon and Northridge precincts narrowly approved Issue 1.

In Clark County’s more rural areas like Pike Township, residents were less likely to vote in favor of the ballot measure. In the Pike 2 precinct, voters cast 68% of their ballots against Issue 1.

Issue 2

Like Issue 1, Issue 2 saw the widest support within Springfield. Five total districts had more than 75% support, and the top 11 districts were all within the city.

Unlike the ballot measure to add a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights, though, more rural voters came out in support of legalizing marijuana at the polls. Only 17 of Clark County’s 76 precincts voted against Issue 2.

In Pleasant Township’s second precinct, the votes for and against legalizing marijuana were split exactly in half at 300 apiece. The township voted overall in support, however, with the other precinct coming in at 51.6% in favor.

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