COLUMBUS (WCMH) – Ohio has passed Marsy’s Law, aimed at expanding the rights of victims of crime.
The Associated Press called the race shortly after 8pm.
With 38.69% of precincts reporting:
- 935,100 voted YES (82.75%)
- 194,920 voted NO (17.25%)
Issue 1, dubbed Marsy’s Law for Ohio, won voter support across the state.
It places new guarantees for crime victims and their families in the state constitution. They include notice of court proceedings, input on plea deals and the ability for victims and their families to tell their story.
The measure was championed by California billionaire Henry Nicholas, whose sister was stalked and killed by her ex-boyfriend.
The campaign had spent $16.5 million as of mid-October on its effort, which included an ad featuring “Frazier” actor Kelsey Grammer.
The effort faced no organized opposition. However, the state public defender, the state prosecuting attorneys’ association and the ACLU all raised concerns over unintended consequences and urged Ohioans to vote “no.”
