Governance

US Midterms: States Vote To Protect Abortion Access

Published

2 years ago

Nov 9, 2022.

Voters moved to protect abortion access in several states, by amending their state constitutions – bringing the patchwork of US states where physicians can legally provide the procedure into sharper relief.

Eko Hot Blog reports that despite concerns over inflation and the future of American democracy, abortion was still a significant factor in the midterm election, with more than 25% of voters calling it their most important issue, according to exit polls.

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In Michigan, voters amended the state’s constitution to establish “an individual right to reproductive freedom, including the right to make and carry out all decisions about pregnancy”

In California, the state’s supreme court had already ruled abortion access was a protected matter of “privacy”, but voters went a step further by adding the right to abortion and contraceptives to the state’s constitution

In Vermont, where abortion access was already legal, voters also amended their state governing document to “ensure every Vermonter is afforded personal reproductive liberty”

In Kentucky, voters chose to reject a measure that would have removed abortion access protections from the states constitution, AP is reporting

An abortion measure was also on the ballot in Montana where votes are still being counted. The success of these ballot measures paints a more nuanced picture of the American abortion debate than initially suggested.