On Election Day 2024, voters in 10 states decided on 11 abortion-related ballot measures, setting a record for the most such measures in a single year. This election was particularly significant as it marked the first presidential race since the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which had previously guaranteed federal abortion rights.
The measures on the ballot this year reflect the continued divide over abortion access, with some states working to expand it while others moved to impose stricter limitations.
In states like New York, Maryland, Colorado, Missouri, Nevada, and Arizona, voters approved measures that expanded or protected abortion rights. Arizona passed a measure that permits abortion up to fetal viability (around 24 weeks), overriding its existing 15-week ban.
Colorado further strengthened abortion protections through a constitutional amendment, while Maryland voters enshrined the right to reproductive freedom in their constitution. Missouri and Montana also passed constitutional amendments, securing abortion rights in those states.
On the other hand, some states saw abortion-related measures that restricted access. In Nebraska, voters were presented with two competing measures: one that would have established a right to abortion until fetal viability, and another— which passed—that enshrines the state’s 12-week abortion ban into the constitution.
Voters in 10 States Decide 11 Abortion Measures, Reflecting a Nation Divided Over Reproductive Rights
South Dakota voters rejected a proposed amendment to establish a right to abortion based on a trimester framework, reflecting similar outcomes in other conservative states like Florida, which also voted down a comparable measure.
In Florida, where a six-week abortion ban had already been enacted earlier in 2024, a ballot measure to guarantee abortion access in the state constitution failed. This setback in Florida, along with South Dakota’s rejection of a trimester framework, highlights the growing trend of conservative states tightening abortion laws.
While these states continue to impose restrictions, others are pushing back by securing abortion rights in their constitutions, creating a sharp contrast between the approaches taken by different regions.
Abortion rights have emerged as a major issue in the 2024 elections, with polling showing it as a top priority for voters, particularly women under 30.
The intense debates over abortion are also influencing political figures, with Vice President Kamala Harris campaigning for the protection and expansion of abortion access, while former President Donald Trump has endorsed leaving the decision to individual states and avoided taking a firm position on a national ban. These issues are likely to remain central in future elections as the debate over abortion continues to unfold.
