In total, voters supported legal abortions in 14 of the 17 states where referendums were on the ballot. And in 11 of those 14 states, the constitutions were amended to include the right to legal abortions. These victories, made possible by the organized movement of thousands of activists and voted on by millions of people, should be applauded. Even though it was through the ballot box, in several states reproductive-rights forces beat back the right-wing scheme to outlaw abortions.
But the fight isn’t over in Missouri, home to a conservative government. Planned Parenthood clinics are suing the state to eliminate the maze of rules and obstacles that abortion providers have to navigate to provide abortions, end the restrictions on dispensing medication abortion pills and eliminate criminal prosecutions for abortion providers. (Springfield News-Leader, Nov. 8)
And in Florida, where the state requires a 60% supermajority vote to change the constitution, the measure narrowly failed, gaining 57% of the required votes. Reactionary Gov. Ron DeSantis had vociferously denounced Proposition 4, which would have legalized abortion. So now, without abortion access in that state, a reproductive health care “desert” exists throughout the Southeast.