Washington, DC – This week made clear that the stakes have never been higher for reproductive rights and women’s health care. As Kate Zernike wrote in the New York Times

“Both sides of the abortion debate anticipate that come July, the Supreme Court will have overturned Roe v. Wade and with it the constitutional right to abortion, handing anti-abortion activists a victory they have sought for five decades. But from Florida to Idaho, Republican-led state legislatures are not waiting: They are operating as if Roe has already been struck down, advancing new restrictions that aim to make abortion illegal in as many circumstances as possible.”

That’s why, on Tuesday, Fairness Project joined the Michigan Reproductive Freedom for All campaign as they launched the signature collection phase of the ballot measure campaign to affirm the fundamental right of every Michigander to have reproductive freedom in the Michigan state constitution.

“We’re at a critical moment for reproductive rights and abortion access with the Supreme Court poised to overturn 50 years of precedent and access to safe and legal abortion,” said Kelly Hall, Executive Director of Fairness Project. “If the conservative majority on the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, it would restrict abortion access for 2.2 million Michiganders. At a time when the Supreme Court could put people’s health at risk by restricting access to abortion, and Congress has not moved to codify Roe into law, it is essential that people can use democratic tools like ballot measures to preserve the right to safe and legal access to abortion within their state.”

When voters have the opportunity to express their voice through ballot measures, they tend to choose progressive policies that expand health care access and raise wages for their neighbors and communities. Fairness Project lives and breathes ballot measures. We get involved in ballot measure campaigns when extremist or polarized politics obstruct progress on common-sense, popular policies that support working families. 

Michigan is a first-of-its-kind citizen-initiated effort to protect reproductive rights ahead of the June decision on Roe. The Fairness Project, prior to joining this campaign, won 23 of 24 ballot initiative contests, resulting in expanded Medicaid, paid leave, and reformed police practices across the country.

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