Each state has the right to control its level of abortion access. That鈥檚 the result of the U.S. Supreme Court Roe v. Wade in June 2022.
Now, measures to protect or expand abortion access will be on the ballot in 10 states. That includes more liberal states like Colorado, more conservative states like Montana, and battleground states like Nevada and Arizona. Abortion will also be on the ballot in Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New York and South Dakota.
In Nevada, a would enshrine abortion protections in the state constitution. In Colorado, voters will also decide if abortion rights should be enshrined in the state constitution. The would also repeal the state鈥檚 ban on public funding for abortions.
Having abortion on the ballot could boost voter turnout and possibly tip the presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump in some states, said Jeremy Gelman, a political science professor at the University of Nevada, Reno.
鈥淒emocrats are hoping that maybe some voters who otherwise wouldn't show up for Kamala Harris might be motivated to vote on abortion rights,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd so, when they get their ballot in the mail they'll open it and be more likely to vote for a Democrat.鈥�
Kamala Harris has pledged to restore the rights to an abortion nationally.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump frequently takes credit for helping overturn Roe v. Wade. But recently Trump鈥檚 repositioned himself to be more in favor of abortion protections, claiming on social media his administration would be 鈥済reat for women and their reproductive rights.鈥� He also vowed the government would cover the cost of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments if he is elected.
What鈥檚 more, Trump had indicated he would vote in favor of abortion rights in his home state of Florida. A day later, however, he
This story was produced by the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau is provided in part by the .