Anti-Abortion Extremists Lose in the Courts Once Again
Jefferson City, MO – Missouri became the latest state on track to win a voter-led constitutional amendment to restore and enshrine abortion care after the state Supreme Court ruled today that Amendment 3 would remain on the November ballot. The decision means a spurious legal challenge from opponents of reproductive freedom has failed yet again. If the ballot measure prevails this November, Missouri will be the first state in which voters restore abortion rights and end a total ban since the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v Wade in 2022.
Advocates of reproductive freedom are applauding the historic win for a red state abortion ballot measure following similar legal victories to put voter-led measures on the ballot in Arizona, Montana, and Florida – building on a track record of wins in legal proceedings during successful Michigan, Vermont, and Ohio ballot measure fights.
- In Missouri, abortion ballot measure proponents have already successfully beaten back two attempts by the Secretary of State to mislead voters with biased ballot summary language in 2023 and with an “unfair, insufficient, [and] inaccurate” official description of the amendment earlier this month.
- Arizona’s abortion rights ballot measure won approval in August after the Arizona Supreme Court ruled its summary language was acceptable.
- Montanans will vote on abortion this November after a ballot measure fended off court challenges from the Montana Attorney General and Secretary of State.
- Florida abortion rights advocates continue to battle with extremist politicians and powerful special interests in court to keep a voter-led initiative on the November ballot.
“Anti-abortion opponents are trying everything to keep abortion rights questions away from voters – but their dirty tricks keep failing. They know that when voters have a say, reproductive freedom is upheld time and time again,” said Kelly Hall, Executive Director of the Fairness Project, which provides funding and technical assistance to abortion rights campaigns in Missouri, Arizona, Montana, and Florida.
“Now that they’ve collected hundreds of thousands of signatures and overcome these disingenuous attempts to derail the will of voters, abortion rights groups are on track to continue their winning streak this November,” Hall concluded.
Missouri’s legal win marks a critical step toward restoring reproductive rights in the state. If approved, the constitutional amendment would make Missouri the first state in the nation to end a total ban on abortion services by ballot measure.
The initiative has garnered more signatures than any other in Missouri’s history. In May, Missourians for Constitutional Freedom submitted nearly 400,000 signatures, more than double the number required to be certified to place the proposed constitutional amendment on November’s ballot.
The amendment would overturn one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation and establish the right for Missourians to make their own decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion, birth control, and miscarriage care.
The Fairness Project is among the largest funders and strategic partners of abortion ballot measures in the country. Since Roe was overturned, the organization has quickly become a U.S. leader in restoring and protecting abortion access via ballot measures, helping to secure victories for reproductive rights in Michigan, Vermont, and Ohio. This November, the group is bringing resources, technical expertise, strategic support, and more to ballot campaigns in Arizona, Florida, Montana, and Missouri.
Since 2022, 21 GOP-led state legislatures have enacted severe restrictions or outright bans on abortion. In response, the Fairness Project has directed its national campaign and fundraising operation to restore and protect reproductive rights with citizen-initiated ballot measures. As of today, abortion rights are undefeated at the ballot box, winning in seven states, including Kansas and Montana.