Cleveland Reporter

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb expressed support for an Ohio constitutional ballot measure on gun control, while calling for a "no" vote on Issue 1.

"We can use our real political power to change our culture of guns," said Bibb at a press conference on "summer violence" in Cleveland. "It starts by voting no on Issue 1, by the way, so that we can maybe put a ballot measure on our state Constitution.”

Issue 1 is an Ohio ballot initiative that would require petition-based statewide constitutional amendments to pass with 60 percent of the vote, not simple majorities. 

Including Ohio, currently 15 U.S. states allow for statewide initiatives to change their constitutions, including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, and South Dakota. 

Currently, only Illinois, Arizona and Florida have 60 percent vote thresholds; Colorado's is 55 percent.

In Oregon, where only 50% is required for statewide initiatives, a ballot measure passed last year that banned magazines with more than a 10-round capacity and required permitting to purchase and transfer firearms. That measure passed with 50.65% of the vote and a margin of fewer than 25,000 votes of two million total votes cast. That law is on hold pending a number of legal challenges over the measure's constitutionality. 

Issue 1 is supported by U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), and Sec. of State Frank LaRose (R-Ohio). 

It's also supported by Ohio Gun Owners, with the group’s director writing that, “'Legislating' on important issues via Constitutional Amendment by 50%+1 of the voting population is Mob Rule, and destroys the restraints of a Constitutional Republic.” 

A coalition of left-leaning advocacy groups opposes the initiative, including Black Lives Matter Cleveland, Black Lives Matter Dayton, Pro-Choice Ohio, Black Out and Proud, the Cleveland Bi+ Network, Columbus New Liberals, Democrat Socialists of America-Cleveland, Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, the Ohio Federation of Teachers, and the Ohio Communist Party.