The people of Ohio passed a constitutional amendment guaranteeing access to abortion by referendum

Voters in the US state of Ohio on Tuesday approved a constitutional amendment ensuring access to abortion. This was reported by the AP agency, according to which it is the latest victory for supporters of reproductive rights in the United States, where the US Supreme Court last year overturned a 1973 precedent establishing the right to abortion nationwide up to the 24th week of pregnancy.

Ohio has become the seventh state where voters chose to protect access to abortion after the Supreme Court’s unprecedented decision. Voters in Ohio approved an amendment that provides access to abortion until the stage of pregnancy when the fetus is viable outside the womb – similar to what was the case across the US before the verdict.

Since then, Republican Party politicians have significantly restricted or banned abortions in many American states.

Tuesday’s referendum was part of an intense election day, the busiest the United States faces until Nov. 5, 2024, when the presidential election will take place. Americans elected governors and other state officials in several states across the country and expressed their will in a series of referendums.

In addition to abortion, Ohio also voted on a proposal to legalize marijuana for personal use in a referendum, which voters there also approved. According to the AP, they defied Republican state lawmakers, who rejected the bill.

With the approval, Ohio became the 24th US state to allow non-medical use of cannabis by adults.