Originally published at National Catholic Register
A proposed pro-abortion amendment in Florida failed to pass on Tuesday, bringing an end to an effort to enshrine broad abortion access in the state constitution and serving abortion advocates with a major defeat in the 2024 election.
The failure of Amendment 4 offers a sharp rebuke to the pro-abortion lobby, which poured more than $100 million into Florida in an effort to enshrine abortion in the state constitution and negate the state’s Heartbeat Protection Act, one of the most pro-life laws in the country.
Prior to the Tuesday vote there were indications that the measure might fail. Less than a week before Election Day, polling indicated that support for the ballot measure was just short of the requisite 60% it needed to pass.
By 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, with roughly 90% of the vote counted, returns showed Amendment 4 with about 57% of voters in favor, failing to clear the 60% threshold.
“Amendment 4 has failed,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said on X on Tuesday night.
With polls now closed in Florida —
Amendment 3 has failed.
Amendment 4 has failed.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) November 6, 2024
One of 10 states with abortion on the ballot in 2024, the Florida
