Arizona proposal to protect abortion rights in state constitution moves forward
A proposal to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution of Arizona, a key state in the upcoming US elections, has moved closer to being officially put to a vote.
On Wednesday, Arizona for Abortion Access, the coalition behind the measure, announced it had collected more than 800,000 signatures, more than double the number needed to get the measure on the ballot in November.
According to Chris Love, spokesman for Arizona for Abortion Access, that’s more signatures than ever before for a citizen-led referendum in Arizona.
“It represents one in five voters in Arizona,” Love said. “It’s a tremendous accomplishment for us. I think it’s a demonstration of the strength of our campaign and the excitement of Arizona voters to really put the issue of abortion rights on the ballot in November.”
Arizona currently bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, but the state came close to banning nearly all abortions earlier this spring. In April, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled to uphold a law that paved the way for a nearly complete 1864 abortion ban — passed before Arizona even became a state — to go into effect. That controversial decision set off a weeks-long battle in the Arizona state legislature, where Republicans hold a one-seat majority in both the state House and Senate, while Democratic lawmakers have tried to pass a repeal of the 1864 ban. They ultimately succeeded after a handful of Republican lawmakers broke ranks and voted in favor of the repeal.
“Our message has always been the same: Pregnant patients deserve the freedom to make their own individual and personal decisions about health care, and particularly decisions about abortion, with their families and their health care providers,” Love said. “The back and forth that has just occurred over the 1864 ban is clear evidence of why we need to take politicians out of the equation.”
If voters approve the ballot measure, officially called the Arizona Abortion Access Act, it would lift the state’s 15-week ban and instead protect the right to abortion until the fetus is viable, a threshold that typically occurs around the 24th week of pregnancy. It would also allow abortions to occur after fetal viability if a health care professional believes the procedure is necessary to protect a pregnant woman’s life or physical or mental health.
About a dozen states, including Arizona and the other swing state of Nevada, are expected to hold votes on abortion rights in the November election. Activists in Nebraska and Arkansas will also turn in signatures supporting abortion rights votes this week.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade two years ago, several states — including traditional Republican strongholds Kansas, Kentucky and Ohio — have successfully passed ballot measures to preserve or strengthen abortion rights. Democrats are now hoping that enthusiasm for abortion rights will boost voter turnout and inspire support for their own candidates, especially as Joe Biden continues to trail Donald Trump in the polls and has faced calls to resign after a devastating debate performance last week.
Arizona County election officials now have until Aug. 22 to officially verify the signatures. Love said part of the reason for turning in so many signatures was to thwart attempts to legally challenge the legitimacy of the signatures.