Democrats and their allies in support of abortion rights are pushing for the legalization of abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy in every state, despite the majority of U.S. adults rejecting this position. This controversial issue has made its way onto the ballot in several states controlled by Republicans during the 2024 election cycle.
Florida voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on a state constitutional amendment on November 5th that would protect abortion before viability or for the health of the patient as determined by a healthcare provider. However, the path to getting this amendment on the ballot involved deception and fraudulent signatures, with loose terms that could potentially allow for abortion at any stage of pregnancy and eliminate parental consent requirements.
In Maryland, a ballot measure aims to enshrine a “right to reproductive freedom” in the state constitution to prevent any future limits on abortion from being enacted. Similarly, in New York, activists are seeking to further solidify abortion rights by ratifying an Equal Rights Amendment that could also impact parental rights and other medical procedures.
In Arizona, Vice President Kamala Harris and other groups are supporting a measure that would add a “fundamental right to abortion” to the state constitution. In Arkansas, activists are working to collect signatures for a ballot measure that would prohibit the state from regulating abortion until after 18 weeks gestation.
Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, and South Dakota are also facing ballot measures related to abortion rights, with various proposals aiming to protect or expand access to abortion in these states. The outcome of these ballot measures could have far-reaching consequences for abortion laws and reproductive rights in the respective states.
