This November, voters in at least 10 states will have the opportunity to shape the future of abortion access within their state. This comes after a nationwide push by organizers to introduce a series of ballot measures focused on either restoring or safeguarding the right to an abortion, as well as some measures aimed at imposing restrictions.
Following the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision in 2022, which overturned Roe v. Wade and effectively eliminated the national right to an abortion, advocates for abortion rights are hopeful that these ballot measures will empower the public to address issues related to reproductive health access.
The majority of the proposed ballot measures seek to codify the right to an abortion in state constitutions. This initiative follows the implementation of various restrictive trigger laws that came into effect post the Dobbs decision, in addition to abortion-related policies that have been introduced by lawmakers or determined by state supreme courts since the ruling.
While anti-abortion groups have supported a few initiatives aimed at limiting abortion access, similar restrictive measures have not succeeded in states where such votes have taken place in recent years.
Ten states, namely Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, and South Dakota, have already confirmed the inclusion of abortion-related measures on their 2024 ballots.
