Abortion access is a hot-button issue across America, with proposed ballot measures in 11 states gathering enough signatures to make November’s ballot. Since the Dobbs decision overturned national protections for abortion, states have implemented varying policies, from near total bans to broad access. Abortion rights groups have used voter-driven ballot measures to push back against restrictions in conservative states, with past elections showing support for these measures.
Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to make abortion a central issue in her campaign against Republican Donald Trump. Abortion rights advocacy groups like Reproductive Freedom for All have seen strong support for ballot measures in states like Arizona, Nevada, and Michigan. However, tactics used by opposition groups to confuse and mischaracterize ballot measures have been reported in states like Nebraska and Arkansas.
Ballot measures have been successful in isolating issues like abortion from extreme partisanship in American politics, as voters are more willing to support an issue when separated from a political candidate. Proposed abortion measures have been submitted in states like Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, and Nebraska. These measures range from broadening abortion access to enshrining the right to abortion in state constitutions. Some measures are facing legal challenges, such as in Arkansas where signatures for a proposed constitutional amendment were rejected by the Secretary of State. Despite opposition tactics, abortion ballot measures continue to be a powerful tool for advocacy in states across the country.
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