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| US abortion rights supporters see victories despite major loss in Florida | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Abortion rights win in New York, Colorado, Missouri and Maryland, cementing those states as abortion havens | |
| Abortion rights supporters celebrated a handful of victories on Tuesday night, as several states voted to enshrine protections for the procedure into their constitutions. | |
| However, they lost what was arguably their hardest fight, after Florida voters defeated a measure to roll back the state’s six-week abortion ban, breaking a streak of ballot-measure victories kicked off when Roe v Wade was overturned by the US supreme court in 2022. They also fell short in Nebraska, where voters chose to enshrine the state’s existing 12-week ban rather than expand protections for the procedure to 24 weeks. | |
| But abortion rights won in four other states, with Missouri voting to overturn the state’s near-total ban on abortion – a post-Roe first – and establish a constitutional right to abortion until fetal viability. Ballot measures in New York, Colorado and Maryland also passed, expanding their protections for abortion and cementing those states’ status as abortion havens. | But abortion rights won in four other states, with Missouri voting to overturn the state’s near-total ban on abortion – a post-Roe first – and establish a constitutional right to abortion until fetal viability. Ballot measures in New York, Colorado and Maryland also passed, expanding their protections for abortion and cementing those states’ status as abortion havens. |
| “The people of Missouri – be they Democrat, Republican, or independent – have resoundingly declared that they don’t want politicians involved in their private medical decisions,” said Rachel Sweet, the manager of the campaign of the Missouri ballot measure, in a statement. | “The people of Missouri – be they Democrat, Republican, or independent – have resoundingly declared that they don’t want politicians involved in their private medical decisions,” said Rachel Sweet, the manager of the campaign of the Missouri ballot measure, in a statement. |
| A total of 10 states voted on abortion-related ballot initiatives on Tuesday. Results are forthcoming in four more states. | |
| Given that abortion is one of the top issues in the 2024 election, Democrats had hoped these measures would boost turnout among their base and propel Kamala Harris to victory. But while many of the outstanding measures appear on track to pass, including in swing states like Nevada and Arizona, polls suggest many voters effectively split their votes by supporting both abortion rights and Donald Trump, whose three supreme court appointments helped end federal protections for the procedure. | |
| Out of all the abortion-related measures, the Florida initiative – known as amendment 4 – was long considered the most difficult to pass. Unlike other measures, which only require a simple majority – or, in the case of Colorado, 55% of the vote – to pass, the Florida measure needed to garner 60% of the vote. At the time it was called by the Associated Press, the Florida measure had amassed a clear majority, with 57% of the vote. | Out of all the abortion-related measures, the Florida initiative – known as amendment 4 – was long considered the most difficult to pass. Unlike other measures, which only require a simple majority – or, in the case of Colorado, 55% of the vote – to pass, the Florida measure needed to garner 60% of the vote. At the time it was called by the Associated Press, the Florida measure had amassed a clear majority, with 57% of the vote. |
| The Florida result is a bitter pill for abortion rights supporters, shattering a string of successes at the ballot box. Advocates have won abortion-related ballot measures in seven states since Roe was overturned. | The Florida result is a bitter pill for abortion rights supporters, shattering a string of successes at the ballot box. Advocates have won abortion-related ballot measures in seven states since Roe was overturned. |
| After the US supreme court overturned Roe in 2022, Florida became a refuge for people fleeing the abortion bans that now blanket the rest of the US south, before its six-week ban took effect in May of this year. | After the US supreme court overturned Roe in 2022, Florida became a refuge for people fleeing the abortion bans that now blanket the rest of the US south, before its six-week ban took effect in May of this year. |
| Had the Florida measure passed on Tuesday, it would have protected the right to abortion up until fetal viability, or about 24 weeks into pregnancy. | Had the Florida measure passed on Tuesday, it would have protected the right to abortion up until fetal viability, or about 24 weeks into pregnancy. |
| In the weeks leading up to election day, Florida Republicans alarmed civil rights and voting rights groups by unleashing a wave of attacks on the measure. Law enforcement officials investigated people who signed a petition to get the measure onto the ballot, while the state’s agency for healthcare administration put up a webpage attacking the amendment. The health department also sent cease-and-desist letters to local TV stations that aired an advertisement supporting the measure, prompting the measure’s organizers to sue. | In the weeks leading up to election day, Florida Republicans alarmed civil rights and voting rights groups by unleashing a wave of attacks on the measure. Law enforcement officials investigated people who signed a petition to get the measure onto the ballot, while the state’s agency for healthcare administration put up a webpage attacking the amendment. The health department also sent cease-and-desist letters to local TV stations that aired an advertisement supporting the measure, prompting the measure’s organizers to sue. |
| “Florida’s deadly abortion ban is out of line with the values of our state,” said Lauren Brenzel, manager of the campaign for the amendment, Yes on 4 Florida, in a statement. “Florida voters sent that message loud and clear today, and despite the fact that only a minority of voters voted to retain the abortion ban our extremist government will exploit the situation to deny its own constituents the right to decide on our bodily autonomy.” | “Florida’s deadly abortion ban is out of line with the values of our state,” said Lauren Brenzel, manager of the campaign for the amendment, Yes on 4 Florida, in a statement. “Florida voters sent that message loud and clear today, and despite the fact that only a minority of voters voted to retain the abortion ban our extremist government will exploit the situation to deny its own constituents the right to decide on our bodily autonomy.” |
| Read more of the Guardian’s 2024 US election coverage | Read more of the Guardian’s 2024 US election coverage |
| When do polls close? | When do polls close? |
| When will we know the result? | When will we know the result? |
| Where is abortion on the ballot? | Where is abortion on the ballot? |
| Senate, House and governor results | Senate, House and governor results |
| Everything you need to know | Everything you need to know |
| When do polls close? | When do polls close? |
| When will we know the result? | When will we know the result? |
| Where is abortion on the ballot? | Where is abortion on the ballot? |
| Senate, House and governor results | Senate, House and governor results |
| Everything you need to know | Everything you need to know |