Geauga County, traditionally a conservative bastion in Ohio, approved two statewide ballot measures Nov. 7 — one to legalize the use of cannabis and the other to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution.
Geauga County, traditionally a conservative bastion in Ohio, approved two statewide ballot measures Nov. 7 — one to legalize the use of cannabis and the other to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution.
The abortion ballot measure passed in Geauga County by a margin of 22,065 votes to 18,311 — a margin of about 54% to 45%, according to the final unofficial results of the Geauga County Board of Elections.
The measure made it to the ballot box after an August special election failed to raise the threshold for ballot measures to 60%.
Marla Zwinggi, a Geauga County activist who worked to collect signatures to put the issue before voters, said if a victory for abortion rights can happen in Geauga County, it can happen anywhere.
“The voters spoke and it was a resounding yes,” she said when reached by phone Tuesday night. “We (in Geauga County) consistently have a high voter turnout. We had the second-highest turnout in August. People are educated voters in Geauga. They do their homework and they vote. They show up at the polls.”
Zwinggi said while the abortion issue can be divisive, it is not a partisan issue.
“We have tremendous opportunities in our county to come together and stop being so partisan,” she said.
Issue 2, to legalize and regulate the use of marijuana for people over the age of 21, passed in Geauga County by 51% to 48%. A total of 20,819 Geauga voters approved the issue, while 19,412 opposed it, according to the final unofficial results.
In an election night press release, the Marijuana Policy Project said Ohio is the 24th state to legalize cannabis for adult use and the 14th state to do so through a ballot question approved by voters.
“The passage of Issue 2 in Ohio also means that a majority of Americans now live in a state where cannabis is legal for adults,” the press release said.
Matthew Schweich, MPP executive director, said his group is part of a coalition that has advanced common-sense cannabis policy for Ohio.
“This victory represents the culmination of a years-long effort, as MPP also played a pivotal role in the passage of Ohio’s medical cannabis law in 2015,” he said.
Once the measure is certified on Dec. 7, adults 21 and older can possess up to two-and-a-half ounces of cannabis, including up to 15 grams of concentrate, and securely grow up to six plants, MPP said in the release, adding legal sales are anticipated to begin in 2024.
Issue 2 also allocates funding to establish a social equity and jobs program and to study expungement and sentencing reform.
“There should no longer be any doubt that cannabis legalization can win in a conservative state,” Schweich said. “In the years ahead, more states will adopt legalization and further increase pressure on Congress to address the glaring conflicts between state and federal law regarding cannabis.”
With the addition of Ohio, a majority of U.S. residents (52.6%) now live in legalization states. Gallup polls show that a supermajority of American voters (68%) agree that cannabis use should be legal, including 70% of Independents and 51% of Republicans.
MPP was a major financial supporter of the Issue 2 campaign in Ohio. The organization’s involvement in Ohio cannabis reform efforts dates back to 2015, when MPP joined forces with local advocates to spearhead a ballot initiative campaign to enact medical cannabis, which spurred the legislature to enact the state’s medical cannabis law.
