Organizers leading the effort to reduce Arkansas’ abortion ban have confirmed they have gathered more than enough signatures to move forward with putting their proposal on the ballot for November’s election.
Arkansans for Limited Government have submitted their petitions and stated that they have submitted over 90,704 signatures from registered voters, surpassing the required amount needed to qualify. Election officials will now proceed with verifying the validity of these signatures.
This latest submission now brings the total to six states where election officials are in the process of validating signatures for abortion-related measures. Additionally, five states already have these measures on the ballot, along with a proposed amendment in New York that aims to prevent discrimination based on “pregnancy outcomes.”
In other developments, supporters of abortion measures in Arizona and Nebraska have also submitted their petitions in their respective states on Wednesday.
The outcome of these measures could potentially alter or reinforce the current trends that have emerged in the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate the nationwide right to abortion.
Following the ruling, the majority of Republican-controlled states have implemented new restrictions on abortion, with 14 states banning it at all stages of pregnancy. Conversely, most Democratic-led states have enacted laws or executive orders to safeguard access to abortion.
In all seven states that have had abortion-related questions on the ballot since 2022, voters have sided with supporters of abortion rights. These states include California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, and Vermont.
Related story: Abortion measures could be on Arizona and Nebraska ballots after organizers submit signatures
