Abortion Access Heading to the Ballot in Three More States

Supporters of abortion rights in three states announced this week that they have collected enough signatures to place measures on the November ballot to enshrine some abortion access in their state constitutions.

On Friday, organizers in Arkansas became the latest group to say they had submitted enough signatures, following similar announcements from groups in Arizona and Nebraska earlier in the week. Election officials in each state must now verify the signatures and certify the ballot initiatives.

Potentially, 11 states, including key battleground states like Arizona, could have abortion rights on the ballot this November. This presents a significant opportunity for Democrats and the Biden campaign, as ballot measures related to abortion rights have historically driven voter turnout and benefited Democratic candidates.

So far, six states—Florida, Colorado, Nevada, New York, Maryland, and South Dakota—have finalized their plans to include abortion-related measures on the November ballot.

Among the states planning to put the issue to voters, Arkansas may pose the toughest challenge for abortion rights advocates due to its deeply conservative nature and large evangelical population. The state has one of the strictest abortion bans in the country, allowing the procedure only to save the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency.

The group leading the effort in Arkansas, Arkansans for Limited Government, has proposed an amendment allowing abortion access up to 18 weeks after fertilization, with exceptions for rape, incest, and cases where the fetus would not survive outside the womb.

This more conservative approach has not received open support from some national abortion rights groups, which typically advocate for access up to 24 weeks.

In Arizona, the current law permits abortions up to 15 weeks of pregnancy without exceptions for rape or incest. The proposed amendment would extend this period to around 24 weeks and include additional exceptions for the mother’s health.

In Nebraska, organizers have garnered enough support for two competing proposals: one to solidify the state’s existing 12-week ban and another to expand abortion access until after viability.

To gather sufficient signatures in Arkansas, organizers targeted women concerned about losing the constitutional right to an abortion, as well as libertarians and centrists wary of government overreach. Many doctors also supported the effort due to concerns about the legal ambiguity surrounding when abortions can be performed.

Lauren Cowles, executive director of Arkansans for Limited Government, stated, “Despite stereotypes or our state’s voting history, we have long been confident that Arkansans understand the government has no place making health care decisions for its people.

Our signature collection efforts demonstrated—and November’s election will solidify—that securing the right to abortion access is an issue that transcends party politics, economics, and religion.”

The Arkansas secretary of state must now formally certify the petition results. Organizers were required to collect at least 90,704 signatures from at least 50 of the state’s 75 counties.

The group claims to have gathered over 100,000 signatures across 53 counties and plans to submit the petitions on Friday afternoon. The secretary of state’s office has 30 days to verify the petition, with a deadline of August 22 to certify all ballot questions and candidates for November.

Legal challenges could arise, and opponents, including former aides to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and anti-abortion groups, have already started to mobilize.

Some abortion rights organizers in Arkansas have faced intimidation and harassment, and some voters were hesitant to sign the petition due to fears of personal or professional retaliation.

Arkansas is the only state in the South that permits citizen-initiated ballot questions. In recent years, such measures have allowed Arkansas to raise its minimum wage above the national average and legalize medical marijuana.