Former Senator Rick Santorum expressed his disappointment with the election results and criticized “pure democracies” in which major decisions are left up to voters rather than elected officials. Speaking on Newsmax, Santorum stated that he is grateful that most states in the country do not allow everything to be put on the ballot, as he believes that pure democracies are not an effective way to run a country.
In Ohio, voters overwhelmingly approved separate ballot measures that protect abortion rights in the state constitution and legalize recreational marijuana. Santorum commented on the appeal of such issues on the ballot, stating, “You put very sexy things like abortion and marijuana on the ballot, and a lot of young people come out and vote.”
The abortion access measure received support from nearly 57 percent of voters, while the marijuana measure was approved by about 56 percent. Both measures are set to take effect in 30 days, making Ohio the 24th state to legalize recreational marijuana for individuals aged 21 and older.
Earlier in August, Ohio voters rejected a Republican-led attempt to make it more difficult to amend the state constitution, which was seen as a direct effort to prevent the passage of the abortion amendment. Since the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last year, several states have been addressing abortion laws, either by providing protections or implementing new restrictions. Ohio is among seven states that have approved protections for abortion rights, with the issue being directly presented to voters.
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