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UPDATE, April 2, 2024: This text has been up to date to mirror Arizona, Florida, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, and South Dakota.
Abortion wins elections. We noticed it final 12 months when Ohio voters enshrined abortion rights into the state structure, and in 2022 when Kansas, Kentucky, and Michigan voters rejected abortion restrictions and affirmed expanded protections.
Now, advocates and opponents alike are pushing extra abortion-related measures onto upcoming ballots. Rewire Information Group will likely be monitoring abortion poll initiatives and updating this listing as teams collect signatures for his or her petitions and safe their place on this 12 months’s elections.
Alabama
The state doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Alabama has a complete abortion ban with restricted exceptions.
Alaska
Alaska doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. The state supreme courtroom has dominated a number of instances that abortion is constitutionally protected, and pregnant folks can obtain abortion care at any level throughout being pregnant.
Arizona
On April 2, Arizona for Abortion Entry, a coalition of pro-choice teams together with the ACLU of Arizona, Healthcare Rising Arizona, Deliberate Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, and extra, introduced it has gathered greater than 500,000 signatures for its poll initiative, based on NBC Information.
The group wanted not less than 383,923 signatures by July 3 to get its proposed constitutional modification affirming the correct to abortion on the November poll. The Arizona Republic reported that the group will proceed to assemble signatures to fulfill its purpose of doubling the required quantity. Signatures nonetheless must be validated.
The modification would permit for abortion care up till the purpose of fetal viability, someplace between 24 and 26 weeks. Abortion is presently banned at 15 weeks.
Arkansas
On January 23, Arkansas Lawyer Basic Tim Griffin licensed an abortion rights poll measure after earlier makes an attempt had been rejected over language. Advocates can now collect signatures to get the measure on the poll.
On November 28, 2023, Griffin first rejected the title for a proposed poll measure—dubbed the Arkansas Reproductive Healthcare Modification that aimed to legalize abortion entry as much as 18 weeks. In his rejection, Griffin cited confusion over the poll language’s use of the phrases like “entry” and “well being,” and stated the poll’s title “is tinged with partisan coloring and deceptive.”
After having its proposed abortion entry poll language rejected by Arkansas Lawyer Basic Tim Griffin for a second time on January 4, advocates submitted a 3rd draft of the measure addressing the final of Griffin’s issues on January 8.
The poll query committee behind the initiative, Arkansans for Restricted Authorities (organized by the nonprofit For AR Folks), stated it’s going to suggest a revised poll measure to the legal professional basic’s workplace.
The Pure State has a complete abortion ban with restricted exceptions.
California
The state doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. In 2022, Californians voted to amend the state structure to incorporate the correct to abortion. Abortion is banned on the level of viability.
Colorado
On the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Coloradans for Defending Reproductive Freedom launched its marketing campaign to assemble signatures for a poll measure to codify the correct to abortion within the state structure and forestall the federal government from limiting medical health insurance protection for abortion care. In keeping with the secretary of state, the group has till April 26 to gather 124,238 signatures; 2 % of whole registered voters from every of the state’s state senate districts should signal the petition.
In the meantime, an anti-abortion poll petition can be in circulation. The measure would set up fetal “personhood” and ban abortion care. In keeping with the secretary of state, the petition should collect the suitable variety of signatures by April 18.
Abortion in Colorado is presently authorized all through being pregnant.
Delaware
The state doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is banned after the purpose of viability.
Florida
On April 1, the Florida Supreme Court docket accepted Floridians Defending Freedom’s poll initiative to restrict authorities interference in abortion care—nevertheless it additionally upheld a 15-week ban that permits the state’s six-week abortion ban to enter impact 30 days from the ruling. At six weeks, most individuals have no idea they’re pregnant.
If ratified by voters in November, the “Modification to Restrict Authorities Interference With Abortion” would ban abortion after the purpose of viability within the Sunshine State. Advocates have stated they’re fearful that the try to avoid wasting the measure by explicitly defining viability will hamper abortion rights advocacy throughout the nation for the foreseeable future.
Georgia
Georgia doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is banned at six weeks, earlier than most individuals know they’re pregnant.
Hawaii
Hawaii doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. In March, Gov. Josh Inexperienced signed abortion safety measures into state legislation, each increasing entry and eradicating onerous necessities like solely permitting abortion care in hospital or medical settings. Abortion is banned on the level of viability.
Idaho
Idaho doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is totally banned with restricted exceptions, and suppliers should carry out an “affirmative protection,” proving in courtroom that an abortion would meet the state’s authorized exception necessities.
Illinois
Illinois doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle, although Gov. J.B. Pritzker has advocated for a pro-abortion measure to be on the 2024 poll. The state supreme courtroom has affirmed that abortion is constitutionally protected, and abortion is banned on the level of viability.
Indiana
Indiana doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. In June, the state supreme courtroom doubled down on its whole abortion ban with restricted exceptions.
Iowa
Conservative Iowa lawmakers are pushing a poll measure for November 2024 that may add language to Iowa’s state structure declaring it doesn’t “acknowledge, grant, or safe a proper to abortion or require the general public funding of abortion.” Abortion is presently banned at 22 weeks. A six-week ban was signed into legislation in July, however a state choose issued an injunction as a lawsuit towards it makes its method by way of the courts.
Kansas
Kansas doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. In 2022, voters rejected an modification to declare that the state structure didn’t assure the correct to abortion. Abortion is banned at 22 weeks.
Kentucky
The state doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. In 2022, Kentucky voters rejected an modification to stop the state structure from safeguarding the correct to or funding for abortion care. The state has a complete abortion ban with restricted exceptions.
Louisiana
Louisiana doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. In 2020, voters accepted an modification declaring the state structure doesn’t present for abortion protections or funding. Louisiana has a complete ban, with restricted exceptions.
Maine
The Maine Senate did not cross a proposal that may have allowed voters to resolve whether or not to enshrine abortion rights into the state structure on April 1. Maine Democrats, together with Gov. Janet Mills, had pushed the modification.
In July, Mills signed into legislation a invoice that permits for later abortions if a health care provider deems it medically essential. In any other case, abortion is banned on the level of viability.
Maryland
In November, Maryland voters will resolve whether or not to approve the Proper to Reproductive Freedom Act, which might affirm “a person’s personal reproductive liberty and supplies the State could not, straight or not directly, deny, burden, or abridge the correct except justified by a compelling State curiosity achieved by the least restrictive means.” At the moment, abortion is banned on the level of viability.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is banned at 24 weeks.
Michigan
The Nice Lakes State doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. In 2022, voters accepted a constitutional modification guaranteeing the correct to abortion. Abortion is banned on the level of viability.
Minnesota
Minnesota doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. In January, Gov. Tim Walz signed into legislation laws that protects each abortion suppliers and out-of-state sufferers. Abortion is authorized at any level throughout being pregnant.
Mississippi
The state doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. In March, the Mississippi Legislature proposed a citizen-led poll initiative course of that particularly banned any abortion-related measures, however your complete effort was killed within the state senate. The Magnolia State has a complete ban with restricted exceptions.
Missouri
Abortion advocates with the group Missourians for Constitutional Freedom are working to place the Missouri Proper to Reproductive Freedom Modification, which might enshrine the correct to reproductive freedom within the state structure, permit bans or restrictions on abortion care after the purpose of fetal viability besides to guard the pregnant particular person’s life and well being, and repeal the prevailing ban on the November 2024 poll.
GOP operative Jamie Corley began the nonprofit Missouri Ladies and Household Analysis Fund in 2023 to file six initiative petitions that may nullify the present state abortion ban, make abortion authorized by way of 12 weeks, and add exceptions for rape, incest, the lifetime of the pregnant particular person, and fetal anomalies to the state’s present abortion ban. All six proposals had been accepted for circulation.
There’s been some drama surrounding the poll language amongst state officers: In September 2023, a choose rewrote a Republican-written poll abstract that described abortions as “harmful and unregulated” to as an alternative say it could assure “the correct to make choices about reproductive well being care, together with abortion and contraception.” In October, a state appeals courtroom rejected Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s proposed language that may consult with the measure’s provisions as offering for “harmful and unregulated abortions till stay delivery,” saying it was too partisan. The Related Press reported the state supreme courtroom declined to listen to Ashcroft’s attraction.
Abortion is presently banned, and medical doctors should present an “affirmative protection” to supply care that meets the state’s authorized exception.
Montana
In an April 1 determination, the Montana Supreme Court docket unanimously rewrote Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights’ abortion poll measure and rejected the state legal professional basic’s try to dam the unique proposal. Now, the poll initiative, which has but to start gathering signatures, would amend the state structure to:
present Montanans the correct to make and perform their very own being pregnant choices, together with abortion;
stop the federal government from hindering the correct to abortion earlier than the purpose of viability;
stop the federal government from interfering when a health-care skilled determines an abortion is important to guard the pregnant particular person’s life or well being; and
stop the federal government from “penalizing sufferers, health-care suppliers, or anybody who assists somebody in exercising their proper to make and perform voluntary choices about their being pregnant.”
On January 16, Montana Lawyer Basic Austin Knudsen blocked a proposed poll measure that may have enshrined abortion rights as much as the purpose of viability within the state structure, the Montana Free Press reported. In a memorandum to the secretary of state’s workplace, Knudsen’s workplace stated the measure is legally inadequate, “logrolls” too many points right into a single initiative, and “limits the flexibility of the state to supply for public well being and security.
In November 2023, Deliberate Parenthood Advocates of Montana submitted a poll proposal to affirm Montanans’ proper to make their very own reproductive choices, together with abortion, and forestall the federal government from hindering abortion rights earlier than the purpose of fetal viability. It additionally contained provisions for safeguarding the pregnant particular person’s life and well being, and it “prevents the federal government from punishing sufferers, health-care suppliers, or anybody who assists somebody in looking for reproductive care, together with abortion care.”
Abortion is banned on the level of viability. In Might 2023, Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a 15-week ban into legislation simply months after Montana voters rejected an anti-abortion invoice. A state courtroom briefly blocked the ban.
Nebraska
On March 1, a bunch of medical professionals in Nebraska—backed by Nebraska Proper to Life and Nebraska Household Alliance—filed paperwork for a poll measure dubbed the “Defend Ladies and Youngsters Constitutional Modification” that may ban abortion after the primary trimester, the Nebraska Examiner reported.
It’s the second of two anti-abortion poll measures with petitions in circulation: In March 2023, anti-abortion advocates proposed the Nebraska Human Life Safety Act, which might ban procedural and medicine abortions, with an exception to avoid wasting the pregnant particular person’s life. The petition is in circulation.
On November 15, abortion rights coalition Defend Our Rights launched language for a poll measure that may constitutionally defend abortion “till fetal viability”—often round 24 to 26 weeks—or to avoid wasting the pregnant particular person’s life or well being. Republican Gov. Jim Pillen has vowed to struggle the measure and, equally to Florida officers, known as the viability language “obscure and misleading.” Defend Our Rights should acquire signatures from about 123,000 voters, and not less than 5 % of registered voters in 38 of the state’s 93 counties, based on the Hill.
Nebraska presently has a 12-week ban.
Nevada
After a district choose within the Silver State shot down a poll initiative that may have supplied for the correct to abortion care up till the purpose of fetal viability—saying the petition was too broad and can be an unfunded mandate—the advocates behind the initiative have launched a second marketing campaign to get abortion rights on Nevada’s poll. The reproductive rights coalition Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom’s new proposal supplies for the elemental proper to “abortion carried out or administered by a certified health-care practitioner till fetal viability,” which might happen someday between 24 to 26 weeks of being pregnant. It additionally says a pregnant particular person has the correct to an abortion to guard their life or well being.
The petition wants 102,362 signatures. As a result of it’s a constitutional modification, it must cross twice in Nevada, which means that voters would wish to resolve on it once more in 2026 if it gathers sufficient signatures and positive aspects a easy majority of sure votes in 2024. Abortion is presently authorized by way of 24 weeks in Nevada, and Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo signed protections for out-of-state sufferers into legislation in Might.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is banned after 24 weeks.
New Jersey
The Backyard State doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is authorized all through being pregnant.
New Mexico
The state doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is authorized all through being pregnant.
New York
Voters will resolve in 2024 whether or not to codify a state Equal Rights Modification that features protections towards discrimination over “being pregnant, being pregnant outcomes, reproductive healthcare and autonomy.” Abortion is presently authorized till the purpose of viability.
North Carolina
North Carolina doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is banned at 12 weeks.
North Dakota
North Dakota doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is totally banned, with restricted exceptions.
Ohio
On November 7, Ohio voters accepted Problem 1, enshrining abortion entry till the purpose of viability within the state structure.
Oklahoma
The Sooner State doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Professional-choice rights activists tried to tee up an abortion rights vote this 12 months, however withdrew it to discover a higher time to get the greater than 170,000 required signatures to place the measure on the November 2024 poll. Abortion is totally banned, with the one exception being to avoid wasting the pregnant particular person’s life.
Oregon
State Democrats have proposed a constitutional modification to guard abortion entry, same-sex marriage, and gender-affirming care. If it passes the state legislature, Oregonians will get to vote on it in November. Proper now, folks can get abortion care at any level in being pregnant.
Pennsylvania
In December 2023, Democratic lawmakers in Pennsylvania launched a constitutional modification that would supply for private reproductive liberty, together with abortion. If it passes each chambers of the state legislature, Pennsylvanians will have the ability to vote to cross or reject the modification, although the Penn Capital-Star reported the earliest referendum may solely occur in spring 2025.
In November, Pennsylvanians voted to put Daniel McCaffery, who portrayed himself as an abortion rights defender, on the state supreme courtroom. Abortion is banned at 24 weeks.
Rhode Island
The state doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is banned on the level of viability.
South Carolina
South Carolina doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is banned at six weeks, earlier than most individuals know they’re pregnant.
South Dakota
Advocacy group Dakotans for Well being is gathering signatures for a 2024 poll initiative to revive Roe v. Wade that may make abortion care authorized within the first trimester and permit the state to manage abortion within the second and third trimesters. State GOP lawmakers adopted a decision opposing the measure. Abortion is presently banned in any respect factors of being pregnant in South Dakota, with restricted exceptions.
Tennessee
Tennessee doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is totally banned, with restricted exceptions.
Texas
The Lone Star State doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is totally banned, with restricted exceptions.
Utah
Utah doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is banned after 18 weeks.
Vermont
The state doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. In November 2022, voters accepted Proposition 5, which constitutionally protects abortion at any level throughout being pregnant.
Virginia
Virginia doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is banned after 26 weeks and 6 days.
Washington
Washington state doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is banned on the level of viability.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is authorized in any respect levels of being pregnant.
West Virginia
The state doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is totally banned, with restricted exceptions, and the state structure consists of language that explicitly excludes abortion rights.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle, although GOP Sen. Ron Johnson has advocated for a vote on a 12-week ban. The state bans abortion at 22 weeks.
Wyoming
The state doesn’t presently have a poll initiative within the upcoming election cycle. Abortion is banned on the level of viability.
Correction: An earlier model of this story misstated Oregon’s present abortion coverage. Oregon has no gestational restrict on abortion care.
This piece was initially printed on October 11, 2023.
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