MOUNT VERNON — Diana Wetzel has worked with Starting Point, a non-profit pregnancy resource center in Mount Vernon, for almost 10 years.
Now Starting Point’s executive director, her work providing resources and education to community members is deeply personal. She received an abortion herself years ago.
“As a woman who’s had an abortion, I suffered tremendously after it happened, and I had no idea that would happen,” Wetzel said.
Studies note some women can suffer from grief, anxiety, depression and even post-traumatic stress after receiving an abortion. Wetzel said there isn’t enough education for people to understand such effects.
That’s why Starting Point works to educate women and families on their options. The organization provides post-abortive counseling options, testing for sexually transmitted infections and diseases and other services, all at no cost.
The center does not provide abortions.
“We’re faith-based, but not in our services,” Wetzel said. “We work to meet people where they are.”
This year, the organization took a stance against State Issue 1 on the Nov. 7 ballot.
Issue 1, a proposed amendment to the state’s constitution, would grant Ohioans the right to make individual reproductive healthcare decisions, including abortion.
What’s in the amendment?
The amendment is called “A Self-Executing Amendment Relating to Abortion and Other Reproductive Health Decisions” on the ballot, but is also known as the “Right to Make Reproductive Decisions Including Abortion Initiative.”
The group Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom led the campaign to support it.
The language of the amendment provides individuals the right to carry out their own reproductive decisions, “including but not limited to decisions on: contraception; fertility treatment; continuing one’s own pregnancy; miscarriage care; and abortion.”
It also stops the state from penalizing, interfering with or discriminating against a person exercising that right, or a person assisting with the exercise of that right.
The amendment clarifies “after fetal viability” that the state can prevent an abortion.
It offers a definition for fetal viability, allowing treating physicians to determine the point when “the fetus has a significant likelihood of survival outside the uterus with reasonable measures.”
Doctors would determine that point on a case-by-case basis.
It also states that abortions can’t be prohibited if it’s necessary to protect “the pregnant patient’s life or health.”
This fall, people across Ashland, Knox and Richland counties have put their efforts toward advocating for and against the initiative.
Wetzel’s organization, Starting Point, takes issue with what she called “overbroad” language in the amendment.
Other groups around the state agree with Starting Point’s stance, including the Ohio Republican Party, Center for Christian Values and Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio.
More locally, Wetzel’s “vote no” stance is joined by organizations like the Ashland Pregnancy Care Center and Richland Pregnancy Services, along with county chapters of the Republican party.
Others argue the initiative will keep the government out of peoples’ personal lives.
Knox County, Ashland County and Richland County Democrats have advocated for “yes” votes locally.
Statewide, those efforts have been joined by groups like Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, the League of Women Voters, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, the Ohio Federation of Teachers and the ACLU of Ohio.
Where does abortion currently stand in Ohio?
The issue of abortion in Ohio has gone back-and-forth in recent years between restricting abortion, and fights to ensure more access. Wetzel said, in her view, the state of Ohio “swings wide” on the issue.
In 2019, the state legislature passed Senate Bill 23, an act titled “Prohibit abortion if detectable heartbeat.” It would have banned abortion at six weeks of pregnancy, except in the case of a medical emergency or necessity. It did not include exceptions in the case of incest or rape.
That bill is wrapped up in a lawsuit that was brought by the ACLU, ACLU of Ohio and Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Abortion remains legal in Ohio up to 21 weeks and six days of pregnancy.
Lauren Blauvelt, the vice president of government affairs and public advocacy at Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, said it’s a critical time for reproductive rights in Ohio. If Issue 1 doesn’t pass, she said that ban would go into place. Blauvelt said it’s especially important in rural Ohio, where access to abortion care and reproductive care in general is limited.
In March, Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights began collecting signatures to put Issue 1, the amendment for reproductive rights including abortion, on the ballot.
The state held an August special election this year. It asked voters to raise the threshold needed to approve a constitutional amendment. Sixty percent of voters would have had to approve an amendment, rather than a simple majority.
Proponents of that August issue argued it would preserve the state constitution and that there should be a higher threshold to approve amendments.
Opponents framed it as an attempt to ensure that the November initiative for the right to make reproductive decisions, including abortion, wouldn’t pass. Ohio’s Secretary of State, Republican Frank LaRose, said it was about abortion, News 5 Cleveland reported.
In the end, August’s special election brought out a little over 39% of voters statewide. People voted no by a margin of 57%-43%. That means a simple majority still rules when it comes to approving constitutional amendments.
But in Ashland, Richland and Knox counties, the August issue received approval from voters by large margins — about 63%, 61% and 63%, respectively.
The reproductive rights amendment — Issue 1 on the November ballot — has seen controversy after the August special election, too.
The state ballot board had a split vote in August to change the amendment’s summary language. That’s the language that appears on the ballot for voters.
LaRose, the Secretary of State, rewrote the summary language. The ballot board, which he leads, approved his rewrite.
It took out a summary of reproductive rights included in the amendment’s text, among other changes. That move drew criticism from Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, the group who collected signatures to get the measure on the ballot.
Voters will get to approve or vote down the reproductive rights amendment in this year’s election. Thanks to the the defeat on August’s Issue 1, it only needs a simple majority of voters to pass or defeat it.
A poll from July indicates that about 58% of Ohioans would support an amendment to “safeguard personal autonomy on matters such as abortion, contraception, and fertility treatment.”
Local support
It’s about choice
Kathy Tate is among those who will be supporting Issue 1 this November. Tate has served as chair for the Knox County Democrats for the last year and a half. She said she has been involved with Democratic politics most of her life.
There’s so many situations where women need that choice, and who’s going to be making it? The law and the state legislature, or a woman and her doctor?
Dennis dyer, a democratic precinct representative in ashland county
Tate grew up in Ohio. She graduated high school in Dayton before going into the Air Force, where she worked as a medical technician. She lived in California for about 40 years before moving back to Ohio with her husband after retirement.
For Tate and Knox County Democrats, knocking on doors and giving out information to voters have filled the months before the election. Issue 1, for her, comes down to individual rights.
“They’re trying to take choices away from people and put them in the hands of politicians,” Tate said.
Democratic party leaders in Ashland County and Richland County agree.
Venita Shoulders, the first vice-chair for the Richland County Democrats, stated in an email message the party has been “mailing postcards, providing yard signs, canvassing constituents, and making ourselves available with office hours at our headquarters and via phone.”
Shoulders and Tate both highlighted that Issue 1 isn’t partisan, though. While parties have taken stances, each said the issue is personal.
In Ashland County, the Democratic party hasn’t passed an official resolution supporting Issue 1, according to Dennis Dyer, one of the precinct representatives. Still, Dyer said the party has been working to encourage a “yes” vote on Issue 1 in the county.
On a personal level, Dyer said, he supports women’s right to access abortion. He worked as a counselor for 40 years. Thanks to that, he said there can be many reasons why women might need a choice.
He outlined a number of situations where he said a woman might need an abortion: abusive relationships, medical risks, knowing a child is not viable, interrupted schooling.
“There’s so many situations where women need that choice, and who’s going to be making it?” Dyer said. “The law and the state legislature, or a woman and her doctor?”
While he said he supports abortion access, he clarified he is an advocate for other birth control methods. Ideally, he said, people plan for a pregnancy. Still, there are situations where they may not be. When those crop up, Dyer views it as important for abortion to be an option.
“Women need the full range of choices,” Dyer said.
Voters need to be informed
Tate’s main concern is ensuring voters are informed.
“We have a job ahead of us trying to get information out,” Tate said.
Shoulders agreed. She encouraged voters to read the legislation for themselves.
“Their decision should be based on what is best for their individual situation,” Shoulders said in an email. “By voting ‘yes,’ you allow each citizen to exercise their individual right. What’s best for their family and loved ones.”
Tate printed out the actual language of the amendment to distribute to voters, rather than the ballot language. The ballots themselves include LaRose’s rewrite.
Tate said she encourages volunteers with the Democratic party to share the amendment’s language with voters.
It’s not easy all the time to make calls and knock on doors, though. Tate said people hang up on her after finding out she’s with the Democratic party sometimes. But she views her work as important.
“Mainly, out here, we’re just small groups doing what we can to help the Democratic party,” Tate said.
Local opposition
It’s too broad
Still, others have concerns with the amendment.
Wetzel said she agrees that there needs to be continuing education on issues like miscarriage, fertility, abortion and continuing pregnancy. Those are all topics the amendment’s language touches on.
Her issue with the proposed amendment comes with what she called “overbroad” language.
One of Starting Point’s major concerns, Wetzel said, is that there is no language restricting age, and no language that spells out what type of medical treatment is allowed or limited under the law.
She worries this will allow minors to access abortions and other procedures — namely, gender transition procedures — without parental consent.
That issue has been a hot-button topic in state legislatures around the country. At least 22 states have enacted laws banning or restricting gender-affirming care for minors.
Ohio’s House of Representatives passed a measure in June that would stop minors from receiving gender-affirming care. The same measure would also stop transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports. On Sept. 13, that bill was referred to the Senate’s government oversight committee.
Studies have shown anti-transgender national, state and local bills have negatively impacted transgender youth. Regret can happen as a result of gender-affirming care, but is rare, according to reporting from AP News.
Wetzel also said the proposed amendment doesn’t limit late-term abortions, instead leaving those decisions in the hands of physicians.
Issue 1 eliminates safety standards that are currently in place in Ohio for the safety of those seeking an abortion.
Amy kahl, executive director of richland pregnancy services
The phrase “late-term abortions” typically refers to abortions that happen at or after 21 weeks of pregnancy. Abortions at or after 21 weeks make up about 1% of all abortions in the United States, according to KFF, an independent source for health policy research.
Amy Kahl, the executive director of Richland Pregnancy Services, agreed with Wetzel.
Kahl has been with Richland Pregnancy Services since 2009. She said she was drawn to it because she was a single mom with an unplanned pregnancy.
In an emailed message to Richland Source, Kahl stated Issue 1 would allow the “abortionist to determine if the health of the mother is in danger.”
“‘Health’ has been previously defined as physical, mental, emotional or financial,” Kahl wrote. “The very doctor standing to gain financially from an abortion procedure has the right to determine whether the abortion is needed under Issue 1.”
The amendment, if approved, would prevent prohibitions on abortions “if in the professional judgment of the pregnant patient’s treating physician it is necessary to protect the pregnant patient’s life or health.”
If the amendment were enacted, the state would reserve the right to prohibit an abortion if a child is viable and the abortion wasn’t necessary to preserve a pregnant person’s life or health.
Other concerns
Kahl also said she views some of the language in Issue 1 as “deceptive.” Specifically, Kahl’s email said, miscarriage care and abortion are not the same thing.
“Medical care for ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage is legal in all 50 states,” Kahl wrote. “It always has been and will continue to be legal in Ohio whether Issue 1 passes or not. There are also no restrictions to fertility treatment or contraception in Ohio. Issue 1 eliminates safety standards that are currently in place in Ohio for the safety of those seeking an abortion.”
Wetzel agreed. She has concerns with the idea that there would no longer be any requirements in place for waiting periods or education before an abortion.
For her and Starting Point, that type of what she called “informed consent” is critical. Without those requirements, Wetzel worries people might be vulnerable and uneducated about their options as they make those decisions.
The Ashland County Republican Party’s website, along with the Knox County Republicans Facebook page and the Richland County Republicans Facebook page, also advocate “no” votes on Issue 1.
Matt Miller, the chair of Ashland County’s Republican Party, told Richland Source that the Ohio Republican Party and Ashland County Republican Party are officially opposing Issue 1, and Issue 2.
Marilyn John, the executive chair of Richland County’s Republican Party, also said the party voted unanimously to oppose Issues 1 and 2.
How to get involved
Tate, Shoulders and Kahl all said voters reading the amendment is important.
Early voting and absentee voting by mail in Ohio began on Oct. 11.
Voters can cast a ballot early in person before the election. For a full list of dates and times elections offices will be open, you can visit the Secretary of State’s website: https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/toolkit/early-voting/.
For early voting in Ashland County, you can visit the Ashland County Board of Elections in Ashland at 110 Cottage St.
In Richland County, early voting takes place at the Richland County Board of Elections in Mansfield, located at 1495 W. Longview Ave.
For voters in Knox County, in-person early voting happens at the Knox County Board of Elections in Mount Vernon, located at 104 E. Sugar St.
You can also cast your ballot on election day, Nov. 7, by visiting your designated polling place between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. You can find your polling location here: https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/toolkit/polling-location/.
