COLUMBUS – Supporters have withdrawn their proposed constitutional amendment that would have require the Ohio’s electoral votes to be delivered to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote.
The proposal would have appeared on the November ballot if it had been approved by the state Ballot Board but the board’s meeting to consider the issue was abruptly canceled, according to a release from the office of Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who criticized the “flawed amendment” and “essentially meaningless.”
This is nothing but good news for Ohio.
The only thing this flawed amendment would have accomplished is to make sure your vote for president is essentially meaningless. https://t.co/Kl4SpVYm6q
— Frank LaRose (@FrankLaRose) April 9, 2019
The ballot issue, certified April 1 by state auditor David Yost’s office, would have changed the Ohio Constitution to require members of the powerful Electoral College to deliver their 18 votes to whichever candidate wins the most votes nationally, rather than the most votes within Ohio.
Due to the formal withdrawal of the Presidential Election Popular Vote Amendment by its Petition Committee, the meeting of the Ohio Ballot Board scheduled for Wednesday, April 10, 2019 has been canceled. -release from Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose
The measure is an example of a movement gathering steam around the country to defy the Electoral College system and to honor the popular vote in presidential elections.
Ohioans for Making Every Vote Matter, the group behind the effort, said in a statement that there wasn’t sufficient time for gathering enough signatures to qualify for the Nov. 5, 2019, ballot.
The group added that it plans to continue working to “raise the importance of a national popular vote” for the presidential election with Ohio voters.