Which states could have abortion on the ballot in 2024? Arkansas organizers aim to make the list

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Organizers of an effort to reduce Arkansas’ abortion ban say they have more than enough signatures to try to get their proposal to voters in the November election.

Petitions filed by Arkansans for Limited Government said they turned in more than 90,704 signatures from registered voters needed to qualify. Election authorities must now begin checking the validity of signatures.

The submission brings to six the number of states where election officials are validating signatures on abortion measures. Five others are already on the ballot, in addition to a proposed amendment in New York that would prohibit discrimination based on “pregnancy results”.

Supporters of other abortion measures in Arizona and Nebraska filed petitions in their respective states on Wednesday.

The fate of the measures could reshape or confirm trends that have developed in the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court removed the national right to abortion.

Since the ruling, most Republican-controlled states have new abortion restrictions in place, including 14 that ban it at all stages of pregnancy. Most Democratic-led states have laws or executive orders to protect access.

Voters in all seven states that have had abortion questions before voters since 2022 sided with abortion rights supporters, including California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Ohio and Vermont.

Here’s a look at the abortion measures that could be on the ballot in November:

COLORADO

Colorado’s top election official confirmed in May that a measure to enshrine abortion protections in the state constitution, including requirements that Medicaid and private health insurers cover it, was on the ballot for the fall election.

Supporters said they had gathered more than 225,000 signatures, nearly double the requirement of more than 124,000 signatures. Amending the state constitution requires the support of 55% of voters.

Those supporting a controversial measure — a law to ban abortion — have not submitted signatures and the measure will not be presented to voters.

Abortion is legal at all stages of pregnancy in Colorado.

FLORIDA

The state Supreme Court ruled in April that a ballot measure to legalize abortion until fetal viability could be voted on, despite a legal challenge from state Attorney General Ashley Moody, who argued that there are differing opinions about the meaning of “viability.” ” and that some key issues the terms of the proposed measure are not properly defined.

Defenders collected nearly one million signatures to put a state constitutional amendment to the vote to legalize abortion until viability, exceeding the nearly 892,000 needed.

To come into force, the measure would need the agreement of at least 60% of voters.

Abortion is currently illegal in Florida after the first six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant, under a law which came into force on May 1st.

MARILANDIA

Voters will also be asked this year to enshrine the right to abortion in the Maryland constitution. The state already protects the right to abortion under state law and Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1. Abortion is allowed in Maryland until viability.

NEVADA

O Nevada Secretary of State The president’s office announced in June that a ballot question to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution met all requirements to appear before voters in November.

Under the amendment, access to abortion during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, or later to protect the health of the pregnant person, would be enshrined. This access is already guaranteed by a 1990 law.

To change the constitution, voters would need to approve it in 2024 and 2026.

SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota voters vote this fall on a measure aimed at prohibiting any restrictions on abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. It would allow the State, in the second trimester, “to regulate the pregnant woman’s abortion decision and its execution only in ways that are reasonably related to the pregnant woman’s physical health.”

A ban on abortion would be permitted in the third trimester, as long as it included exceptions for the life and health of the woman.

The state’s top electoral authority announced on May 16 that about 85% of the state’s population more than 55,000 signatures sent in support of the electoral initiative are valid, exceeding the required 35,017 signatures.

Opponents sued to try to take the initiative away from the ballot box.

ARIZONA

Supporters of abortion rights sent over 823,000 signatures on Wednesday to present an abortion access measure to voters in November. This is more than double what is needed.

Election officials still need to verify the signatures.

Under the measure, the State could not prohibit abortion until the fetus was viable, with later abortions being permitted to protect the woman’s physical or mental health.

Abortion is currently legal during the first 15 weeks of pregnancy in the state. The Arizona Supreme Court ruled in April that enforcement could begin soon for a near-total ban already in place. Since then, the governor has signed a bill repeal this law. However, it is still expected to be in effect for a while.

ARKANSAS

Supporters of an amendment to allow abortion in many cases obtained more than 101,000 signatures – at least 10,000 more than needed. The group also said it surpassed the state requirement that a minimum number of signatures come from 50 counties.

Dozens of supporters and opponents of the Arkansas measure lined the halls of the state Capitol as boxes of petitions were wheeled into a room where officials would begin checking them.

The measure would prevent 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 woman’s health or life, or if the fetus is unlikely to survive birth.

Because it allows a ban on abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, the proposal does not have the support of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which includes Arkansas. The state currently prohibits abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with minor exceptions.

Anti-abortion groups in the predominantly Republican state also campaigned heavily against the measure, and one group published the names and hometowns of canvassers who collected signatures for the proposal.

Election officials have 30 days to verify the validity of signatures. The group could qualify for more time to circulate petitions if at least 75% of the signatures were found to be valid, statewide and in all 50 counties.

MISSOURI

Abortion rights advocates in Missouri turned in more than 380,000 signatures, more than double the required 171,000, for a measure asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment to guarantee abortion until viability. Local election officials have until July 30 to verify the signatures, then it is up to the Secretary of State to declare whether they were sufficient.

A group of moderate Republicans this year abandoned efforts to an alternative amendment this 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 prevent the government from denying the right to an abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant person.

After a legal battle over the ballot text, the Montana Supreme Court in April wrote its version of the text that would appear on the ballot if a sufficient number of valid signatures were certified. Sponsors were required to send around 60,000 by June 21st. They delivered about 117,000, almost double the amount needed.

Counties have until July 19 to verify signatures and the secretary of state will have until Aug. 22 to determine whether the amendment goes to a vote.

Abortion is legal until feasible in Montana, according to a 1999 Montana Supreme Court opinion.

NEBRASKA

Competing abortion measures could reach voters in November, after supporters of each said Wednesday they have turned in far more signatures than the 123,000 needed for ballot access.

Someone would enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution until viability. Supporters said they submitted more than 207,000 signatures.

The other would write into the Constitution the current law that prohibits abortions after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, with some exceptions. His supporters said they had submitted more than 205,000 signatures.

Organizers of a third effort did not file petitions. It would have defined embryos as people, thus prohibiting abortion at all stages of pregnancy.

Some efforts that sought to restrict or ban abortion also failed to reach the ballot box. In Wisconsin, the House passed a measure asking voters to ban abortion after 14 weeksbut the legislative session ended without a vote by the state Senate.

Similarly, Iowa lawmakers ended the session without passing a measure that asked voters to conclude that there is no constitutional right to abortion. Pennsylvania lawmakers had previously pursued a similar amendment, but it is not expected to be included on the ballot this year.

A Louisiana measurement to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution died in committee, one in Maine effectively died when it failed to receive approval from two-thirds of the House and one Minnesota measure did not pass by legislators.

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This story has been updated to correct the headline and show that Arkansas has not yet officially joined the list of states with abortion on the ballot. The collected signatures must first be validated.