After months of petitions, lawsuits, and signatures, constitutional amendments protecting or expanding abortion rights will be on the general election ballot in 10 states. Swing states like Arizona and Nevada, blue-leaning states like Colorado, Maryland, and New York, and red-leaning states like Florida, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, and South Dakota will have voters deciding the future of abortion access this fall.
The proposed amendments vary by state, with Arizona creating a fundamental right to abortion up until fetal viability, effectively undoing a 15-week ban. Colorado aims to prevent government interference with the right to abortion, while Florida’s amendment would allow abortions before fetal viability with exceptions for the patient’s health.
In Maryland, lawmakers have voted to place a measure on the ballot guaranteeing the right to make pregnancy decisions. Missouri and Montana seek to enshrine the right to abortion until fetal viability, with exceptions for the life or health of the mother. Nebraska has dueling amendments – one protecting the right to abortion until fetal viability, and the other imposing restrictions.
Nevada and New York aim to enshrine existing abortion rights in their state constitutions, while South Dakota’s proposed amendment would make abortion legal in the first trimester and allow state regulation in later trimesters. These amendments aim to protect and expand abortion rights, undo restrictive laws, and prevent future interference with reproductive health choices.
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10 States with Abortion Rights on the Ballot This Fall
