Arizona voters will have the opportunity to vote in November on whether to include the right to abortion in the state constitution. The Arizona secretary of state’s office announced on Monday that 577,971 signatures had been certified, well above the required number for the ballot measure to proceed.
The coalition, Arizona for Abortion Access, called it the largest number of validated signatures for a citizens initiative in state history. Campaign manager Cheryl Bruce expressed excitement, stating, “This is a significant victory for Arizona voters, who will now have the chance to vote YES on restoring and protecting access to abortion care without political interference.”
Abortion rights have been a focal point for Democrats since the overturn of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022, playing a crucial role in this year’s elections. The issue is also on the ballot in Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, New York, and South Dakota.
Currently, Arizona law prohibits abortions after 15 weeks with exceptions for medical emergencies, restrictions on non-surgical abortion, mandatory ultrasounds, and parental consent for minors.
The proposed amendment would permit abortions up to the stage where a fetus could survive outside the womb, typically around 24 weeks, with exceptions for the mother’s life or health. It would prevent the state from enacting laws that obstruct access to abortion.
Opponents argue that the measure is too extreme and could lead to unregulated abortions in Arizona. Supporters maintain that a constitutional amendment safeguards abortion rights from being easily repealed.
In April, the Arizona Supreme Court upheld an 1864 abortion ban that only allowed abortions to save the mother’s life, with no exceptions for rape or incest survivors. However, the Republican-controlled Legislature repealed this ban, and Governor Katie Hobbs signed the repeal into law.
The antiquated law had been inactive since the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, eliminating constitutional protections for abortion.
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