Abortion rights activists in Missouri and South Dakota are making significant strides in their efforts to reverse near-total abortion bans in their states. Both states are on track to have citizen-sponsored measures on the ballot this year that would establish a right to abortion in their state constitutions.
In Missouri, a coalition of abortion rights groups submitted 380,159 signatures to put the amendment on the ballot, well above the required 172,000 signatures. Similarly, in South Dakota, organizers turned in a substantial number of signatures for a ballot amendment there.
These efforts come in the wake of the United States Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, which had established a constitutional right to abortion for nearly five decades. Abortion rights supporters have prevailed in seven out of seven ballot measures in other states in the past two years, giving hope to activists in Missouri and South Dakota.
While both states are traditionally Republican, their abortion bans are among the strictest in the nation, allowing abortion only to save the life of a pregnant woman. In Missouri, where polls show a majority of voters support legal abortion in all or most cases, activists are optimistic about their chances.
However, both measures face challenges. In Missouri, Republicans are pushing a ballot question that would raise the threshold for victory, potentially making it harder for the abortion rights amendment to succeed. State officials will also have to decide when the measure appears on the ballot, either in the primary election in August or the general election in November.
In South Dakota, getting the signatures certified could be difficult due to a law passed by Republican legislators allowing signers to withdraw their support. Despite collecting more than enough signatures, anti-abortion groups are working to keep the measure off the ballot.
The amendment efforts in both states aim to establish the right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion. In South Dakota, the amendment would prohibit the state from regulating a woman’s abortion decision during the first trimester, with regulations allowed in the second trimester only for the woman’s physical health.
Overall, these developments highlight the ongoing battle over abortion rights in conservative states and the efforts of activists to ensure access to safe and legal abortion.
