Abortion policy and pro-choice candidates sustained victories in several states in what was the second election cycle since Roe v. Wade was overturned.
With the passage of Issue 1, Ohio voters instilled irreversible access to abortion care in the state's constitution, NPR reported Nov. 8.
The measure passed 56.62% in favor and 43.38% opposed. It was dubbed "the country’s most-watched race in the off-year elections," by The New York Times.
Ohio's new law will take effect 30 days after the election.
While not on the ballot as a measure in other states, key supporters of abortion access who were on the ballot also saw success.
In Virginia — the sole southern state that has not restricted abortion access since Roe's reversal — Democrats maintained control of the state legislature.
Kentucky's democratic governor, Andy Beshear, also kept his seat. Last year, voters in the state shot down a measure to amend the state constitution that "explicitly stated it contains no right to an abortion," NPR reported in November 2022.