Ballot Measures Are the Next Frontier for Abortion Rights
Washington, DC – This week, Kansas voters’ decision to resoundingly protect their right to reproductive freedom marked the start of the next fight to defend access to abortion care across the country. Ballot measures in the United States have repeatedly proven critical to carving a path for issues such as minimum wage increases, Medicaid expansion, paid leave, and more when partisan gridlock and extremist, out-of-step politicians dominate state legislatures.
The Supreme Court’s decision to dismantle the constitutional right to abortion, as well as extreme state-level abortion bans, are in direct contrast with public opinion on the issue of reproductive freedom — meaning that direct democracy and ballot measures are the path forward to ensure voters are heard and their constitutional rights are defended. A Gallup poll this year found that 85% of Americans think abortion should be legal in some or all circumstances.
“Kansans’ victory this week over extremist state legislators showed us plainly: ballot measures are the next frontier for protecting access to abortion care. We should not be writing off any state when it comes to using every tool at our disposal to ensure reproductive freedom. That includes empowering voters through citizen-initiated ballot measures,” said Kelly Hall, Executive Director of the Fairness Project. “It is essential that people can use the ballot measure tool to preserve the right to safe and legal access to abortion within their state. That’s why, in addition to our ongoing work to pass constitutional protections for abortion rights, we’re doubling down on our Ballot Measure Rescue Campaign to fend off attacks on direct democracy.”
Michigan is the next battleground for abortion rights. The Fairness Project is actively supporting the Reproductive Freedom for All campaign, a first-of-its-kind, citizen-initiated ballot measure that inspired more than 60,000 people to sign up to volunteer to collect signatures after the Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision leaked in May.
Last month, the campaign turned in more than 750,000 signatures to qualify a ballot measure to affirm the fundamental right of every Michigander to have reproductive freedom in the Michigan state constitution. Upon review and approval of the Michigan Bureau of Elections and Board of State Canvassers, the initiative will appear on the November ballot.
The Fairness Project is also supporting a similar ballot measure to amend the state constitution of Vermont, Proposal 5, which will also go before voters this November.
“The Plan Backfired”: Kansas Voters Fiercely Reject Antiabortion Ballot Initiative. Read it in Vanity Fair HERE.
The Kansas Results Preview a Roadmap to Protect Abortion Access Around the Country. Read it in TIME Magazine HERE.
Kansas landslide fuels abortion rights movement’s next fights. Read it in Politico HERE.
Kansas Vote May Bode Well For States’ Efforts To Protect Abortion Rights. Read it in Forbes HERE.
Abbreviated pundit roundup: Aftermath of a political earthquake. Read it in the Daily Kos HERE.
Kansans May Vote Away Their Right to Abortion Today. Read it in Jezebel HERE.
If you would like to interview Kelly Hall, Executive Director of Fairness Project, please email press@thefairnessproject.org.