LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Organizers of an effort to repeal Arkansas’ abortion ban face a Friday deadline to submit enough signatures to try to put their proposal before voters in the November election.
If successful, Arkansas would become the sixth state where election officials have validated signatures on abortion measures. He has voted in five others, plus an amendment proposed in New York that would have barred discrimination based on “pregnancy results.”
Supporters of other abortion measures in Arizona and Nebraska delivered petitions in their respective states on Wednesday.
The fate of the measure could reshape or confirm the trend line that has developed in the two years since the US Supreme Court struck down abortion rights across the country.
Since the ruling, most Republican-controlled states have had new abortion restrictions, including 14 that ban it at every stage of pregnancy. Most Democratic-led states have laws or executive orders to protect access.
Voters in all seven states that have an abortion question before the ballot starting in 2022 have sided with abortion rights supporters, including California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Ohio and Vermont.
Here are the abortion measures that could be on the ballot in November:
COLORADO
Colorado’s top election official confirmed in May that measures to protect abortion protections in the state constitution, including requirements covering Medicaid and private health insurance, made the ballot for the fall election.
Supporters say they have collected more than 225,000 signatures, nearly double the requirement of more than 124,000 signatures. Amendments to the state constitution require the support of 55% of voters.
Those who supported the competing measure – legislation to ban abortion – did not submit their signatures and the measure will not go before voters.
Abortion is legal at all stages of pregnancy in Colorado.
FLORIDA
The state’s Supreme Court ruled in April that ballot measures to legalize abortion until fetal viability can be passed despite a legal challenge from state Attorney General Ashley Moody, who said there are differing opinions on the meaning of “viability” and some keys. the terms in the proposed measure are not properly defined.
Advocates gathered nearly a million signatures to make an amendment to the state constitution to legalize abortion live on the ballot, surpassing the nearly 892,000 needed.
To take effect, the measure requires the approval of at least 60% of voters.
Abortions are now illegal in Florida after the first six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they’re pregnant, under a law that took effect May 1.
MARYLAND
Voters will also be asked this year to enshrine abortion rights in the Maryland constitution. The state already protects abortion rights under state law and Democrats outnumbered Republicans 2-1. Abortion is allowed in Maryland up to life.
NEVADA
The Nevada Secretary of State’s office announced in June that a ballot question to include abortion rights in the state constitution has met all the requirements to appear before voters in November.
In the amendment, access to abortion for the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, or later to protect the health of the pregnant woman, will be preserved. That access has been guaranteed under the 1990 law.
To change the constitution, voters must approve it in 2024 and 2026.
SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota voters will vote this fall on a ban on abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. This will allow the state, in the second trimester, to “regulate the pregnant woman’s abortion decision and its effects only in a way that is related to the physical health of the pregnant woman.”
The ban on abortion will be allowed in the third trimester, as long as it includes an exception for the life and health of the woman.
The country’s top election official announced on May 16 that about 85% of the more than 55,000 signatures submitted in support of the ballot initiative were valid, exceeding the required 35,017 signatures.
Opponents have been sued for trying to take the initiative off the ballot.
ARIZONA
Abortion rights advocates submitted more than 823,000 signatures on Wednesday to put an abortion access measure before voters in November. That’s more than twice as many as needed.
Election officials still need to verify signatures.
Under the measure, states would no longer be able to ban abortions until the fetus is viable, with later abortions protecting women’s physical or mental health.
Abortion is now legal for the first 15 weeks of pregnancy in the country. The Arizona Supreme Court ruled in April that enforcement could begin immediately to ban almost all of the books. The governor has signed a bill that repeals the law. But it is still expected to be in effect for some time.
ARKANSAS
Supporters of the amendment to allow abortion in most cases must gather nearly 91,000 signatures by Friday for the measure to get on the November 5 vote. They also have to submit minimum marks from 50 out of 75 districts.
Supporters said on Wednesday they were about 5,800 short of the requirement with two days to circulate the petition.
The measure would ban laws that prohibit abortion in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy and allow abortion later in pregnancy in cases of rape, incest, threats to the health or life of the woman, or if the fetus is not viable.
Because it allows abortion to be banned 20 weeks into pregnancy, the proposal does not have the support of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which includes Arkansas. The state now prohibits abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with narrow exceptions.
Anti-abortion groups in the predominantly Republican state have also campaigned strongly against the measure, and one group published the names and hometowns of canvassers who collected signatures for the proposal.
MISSOURI
Missouri abortion rights advocates turned in more than 380,000 signatures, more than double the 171,000 needed, for a measure asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment to guarantee life-saving abortions. Local election officials have until July 30 to verify the signatures, then it’s up to the secretary of state to declare that there are enough.
A group of moderate Republicans this year rejected efforts for an alternative amendment that would have allowed abortions up to 12 weeks, with limited exceptions after that time.
Abortion is currently prohibited in Missouri at all stages of pregnancy, with limited exceptions.
MONTANA
Abortion rights advocates in Montana have proposed a constitutional amendment that would bar the state from denying the right to an abortion before life or when it is necessary to protect the life or health of a pregnant woman.
After a legal battle over the ballot language, the Montana Supreme Court in April wrote a version of the language that will appear on the ballot if enough valid signatures are certified. Sponsors are required to deliver about 60,000 by June 21. They sent about 117,000, almost twice the number required.
Counties have until July 19 to verify signatures and the secretary of state will have until Aug. 22 to determine if the amendment is on the ballot.
Abortion is legal up to life in Montana according to a 1999 Montana Supreme Court opinion.
NEBRASKA
Competing abortion measures could go before voters in November after supporters on Wednesday scored more than the 123,000 needed for ballot access.
One would enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution until life. Supporters say they submitted more than 207,000 signatures.
Another would write in the constitution the current law that prohibits abortion after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, with some exceptions. Those supporters said they submitted more than 205,000 signatures.
Organizers for the third effort did not submit a petition. It will determine the embryo as a person, thus preventing abortion at all stages of pregnancy.
Several attempts to restrict or ban abortions also failed to reach the ballot. In Wisconsin, the House approved a measure asking voters to ban abortions after 14 weeks, but the legislative session ended without a vote from the state Senate.
Additionally, Iowa lawmakers ended the session without approving a measure asking voters to find no constitutional right to abortion. Pennsylvania lawmakers previously sought a similar amendment, but it is not expected to be added to the ballot this year.
A Louisiana measure to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution died in committee, one in Maine effectively died when it fell short of receiving the approval of two-thirds of the House and the Minnesota measure was not passed by the legislature.
