Originally published at National Catholic Register
Voters in Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota on Tuesday night voted down major pro-abortion proposals in their states, while seven other states saw voters approve measures to expand abortion, in several cases codifying abortion access into the state constitution.
After back-to-back pro-life losses in half a dozen states since 2022, the rejection of the pro-abortion measures in three states on Tuesday represent the first victories at the ballot box for pro-life advocates since the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Meanwhile, several states that already do little to restrict abortion committed to make the procedure even more accessible. And in a handful of states, notably Missouri, Tuesday’s results could ultimately negate the strong pro-life legal protections currently in place.
Here’s a breakdown of the results in each state that voted on abortion Nov. 5.
Arizona codifies abortion as a “fundamental right.”
Voters in Arizona definitively approved Proposition 139, which provides constitutionally for a “fundamental right to abortion.” The measure says the state cannot restrict abortion until the point of “viability,” at approximately 24 weeks of pregnancy, unless it has a compelling reason and does so in the least restrictive way possible.
The measure also prevents the state from interfering with abortions
