Missouri voters will decide in November on a constitutional amendment to guarantee a right to abortion, reversing the state’s near-total ban. The initiative petition received enough valid signatures to qualify for the general election. If passed, it would end the total ban on abortion and become part of the state constitution.
This decision comes as Missouri joins several other states in voting on abortion measures during the presidential election. Additionally, Missouri will vote on initiatives to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and legalize sports betting. The abortion ballot measure has sparked strong reactions from both Republican and Democratic gubernatorial nominees.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its Roe v. Wade precedent in 2022, states have introduced new abortion restrictions or protective measures. Abortion rights supporters have prevailed in seven states that have already decided on ballot measures, including California, Kentucky, and Vermont.
The Missouri ballot measure aims to create a right to abortion until a fetus can likely survive outside the womb without extraordinary medical measures. However, opponents argue that the measure legalizes abortion at any stage of pregnancy. The outcome of these ballot measures could have significant implications for abortion rights in Missouri and potentially in other states as well.
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