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Ohio abortion advocates will submit signatures for a constitutional amendment Wednesday

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WOSU) — Pro-abortion rights advocates in Ohio are preparing to turn in hundreds of thousands of signatures this week in an effort to put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot.

Supporters of abortion rights gather signatures at a race in downtown Columbus.
Supporters of abortion rights gather signatures at a race in downtown Columbus. [Karen Kasler | Statehouse News Bureau]
Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, the pro-abortion rights coalition, said in a news release Monday it will submit “hundreds of boxes containing thousands of petition booklets” at 10 a.m. Wednesday to the Secretary of State.

The group needed to get over 413,000 signatures and has expressed confidence for weeks that it would reach that threshold.

If voters approve the measure, it would guarantee a right in the state constitution to contraception, fertility treatment, miscarriage care and abortion and prevent the state from penalizing people from exercising these rights.

But the amendment faces a key challenge on Aug. 8. The Ohio General Assembly set a special election that day asking voters whether or not to raise the threshold to pass such amendments from 50% to 60%.

The two issues are being closely tied as the Aug. 8 and Nov. 7 elections get closer.