(Patriot.Buzz) – Just hours before the deadline to finalize the November ballot, Missouri’s highest court has decided that a measure to reverse the state’s strict abortion ban will be up for a vote this fall.
If approved by voters, the measure would protect abortion rights in the state’s constitution and challenge the existing near-total ban on abortions.
This court ruling instructed Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft to reinstate the measure on the ballot, which he had removed following a lower court’s decision last Friday.
Ashcroft, who opposes abortion, expressed his disappointment with the court’s decision, but his office will comply and include the amendment on the ballot.
Missourians for Constitutional Freedom campaign manager Rachel Sweet celebrated the ruling.
“Missourians overwhelmingly support reproductive rights, including access to abortion, birth control, and miscarriage care,” she said. “Now, they will have the chance to enshrine these protections in the Missouri Constitution on November 5.”
The legal debate heated up after opponents expressed that the measure’s petition misled voters about the extent of abortion laws it would overturn.
Critics argue that voters were not fully informed about the potential repeal of existing abortion restrictions.
This issue extends beyond Missouri. Several other states including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota are also considering similar amendments to protect abortion rights.
These proposals generally aim to secure the right to abortion up to the point of fetal viability and thereafter if the pregnancy threatens the woman’s health.
In New York, there is another ballot measure related to abortion rights, though its implications are currently being debated.
This focus on abortion rights is expected to increase voter turnout, which could influence a wide range of electoral outcomes from local to national elections.
In Missouri, Democrats are particularly hopeful that support for abortion rights could energize their base in November.
Meanwhile, fights over the wording on ballots and related explanatory texts have sparked legal challenges in several states.
For instance, a recent ruling in Arkansas blocked an abortion rights initiative from appearing on the ballot due to procedural issues with the submission of necessary documentation.
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