Kansas Ballot Measure Vote on Tuesday Poses First Test for Abortion Rights Post-Roe
Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, Kansas voters will decide whether to explicitly remove the right to an abortion from their state constitution, the first test case in the fight for reproductive rights via statewide ballot measure. If the measure passes, the Republican-controlled legislature will be free to place extreme restrictions on access to abortion.
“The battle for abortion rights is now going state to state, and Kansas is the canary in the coal mine,” said Kelly Hall, Executive Director of the Fairness Project. “Citizen-led initiatives are an essential battleground to protect abortion care, and we applaud those in Kansas who are campaigning against this measure and working to defend reproductive rights for all. The results on Tuesday will be incredibly important as we chart a path forward to pass ballot measures protecting abortion rights across the country. Regardless of the result in Kansas, we know that ballot measures will prove to be an effective tool to protect reproductive rights in states across the country. ”
The Fairness Project has teamed up with a broad coalition of partners in Michigan, including Planned Parenthood and ACLU, to help qualify a ballot measure for the November election. The Fairness Project is supporting a similar campaign to protect the right to choose in Vermont.
Earlier this month, the Fairness Project-backed Michigan Reproductive Freedom for All 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. The Michigan Reproductive Freedom for All campaign inspired more than 60,000 people to sign up to volunteer to collect signatures, with an outpouring of support coming in the immediate wake of the leak of the Dobbs decision.
Fairness Project is also actively working through its Ballot Measure Rescue Campaign to protect the ballot measure process in states where direct democracy is under attack — a fight that is even more essential post-Roe v. Wade to protect abortion rights at the state level.
On Tuesday, Kansas voters will decide whether to explicitly remove the right to an abortion from their state constitution, the first test case in the fight for reproductive rights via statewide ballot measure.