New York High Court Allows ‘Equal Rights’ Amendment to Appear on November Ballot

A proposed change The New York Constitution prohibiting discrimination on “gender identity” and “pregnancy results” will appear on the ballot in November, the state’s highest court ruled Thursday.

The Court of Appeal’s ruling confirms a lower court ruling from June rejecting an appeal “on the basis that no substantial constitutional issue was directly involved.”

Democrats hope the ballot question will boost turnout in their favor this fall as the party frames the “equal rights” amendment as a way to protect the right to abortion.

Republicans also began strategizing around the proposed amendment, moving to rally voters against the protections it could offer trans people.

A Republican state lawmaker sued to block the ballot question, arguing that Democrats in the Legislature made a technical error in passing the amendment.