With certifications in Arizona and Missouri, voters in eight states will decide on abortion-related ballot measures in 2024, the most on record for a single year

By

Nicole Fisher

Voters in eight states—Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Nevada, and South Dakota—will decide on abortion-related ballot measures in Nov. 2024. This is the most on record for a single year. Initiatives are pending signature verification in three additional states—Arkansas, Montana, and Nebraska.

Measures were most recently certified in Arizona and Missouri. On Aug. 12, the secretary of state’s office in Arizona verified 577,971 signatures for a right-to-abortion initiative, after 823,685 signatures were submitted submitted last month. Arizona for Abortion Access, the campaign supporting the initiative, said in a statement that it was the most signatures validated for a citizens initiative in state history. 

In Missouri, on Aug. 13, the secretary of state’s office also announced enough valid signatures were submitted for an initiative that would provide for the constitutional right to an abortion.

This report provides the most recent updates on abortion-related ballot measure certifications and potential measures.

Here is the status of abortion-related ballot measures for 2024.

Certified abortion-related ballot measures in 2024

Arizona

Arizona voters will be deciding on a constitutional amendment that would establish a state constitutional right to abortion that the state may not interfere with before the point of fetal viability.

  • Current law: Abortion is legal for up to 15 weeks of pregnancy in Arizona.
  • Measure type: Citizen-initiated constitutional amendment
  • Measure support: Arizona for Abortion Access is leading the campaign in support of the initiative. As of July 13, 2024, the campaign reported $23.1 million in contributions. Supporters also include the ACLU of Arizona, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, The Fairness Project, Think Big America, and Gov. Katie Hobbs (D).
  • Measure opposition: It Goes too Far is leading the campaign opposing the initiative. As of July 13, 2024, the campaign reported $866,335.38 in contributions. Opponents include Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.
  • State political context: In Arizona, the Democratic Party controls the office of governor, while the Republican Party controls both chambers of the state legislature. In the previous presidential election in 2020, Joe Biden (D) won with 49.36% of the vote while Donald Trump (R) received 49.06% of the vote.

Colorado

Colorado voters will be deciding on a constitutional amendment that would provide a right to abortion in the state constitution. The initiative would prohibit the state or local governments from denying or impeding the right to an abortion and allow abortion to be a covered service under health insurance plans.

  • Current law: Colorado is one of 10 states that does not restrict abortion after a specific point in a pregnancy. In 1984, Coloradans voted 50.4% to 49.6% to ban public funding of abortion except for cases where the mother’s life is in danger. The provision prevented state health insurance from covering abortions for government employees and others on state health insurance plans such as Medicaid. In 1998, Coloradans voted 55% to 45% to require parents to be notified if their minor children seek an abortion and voted 51% to 49% to reject a ban on partial-birth abortion.
  • Measure type: Initiated constitutional amendment
  • Measure support: Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom is leading the campaign in support of the initiative. The committee reported $4.64 million in contributions and $3.78 million in expenditures as of July 27, 2024. Supporters also include the Democratic Party of Colorado, the ACLU of Colorado, and the League of Women Voters of Colorado.
  • Measure opposition: Pro-Life Colorado Fund and Vote No on 89 are leading the campaign opposing the initiative. Both committees collectively reported $2,933.47 in contributions and $949.27 in expenditures as of July 27, 2024. Opponents of the initiative include the organization March for Life.
  • State political context: Colorado currently has a Democratic trifecta. In the previous presidential election in 2020, Joe Biden (D) won with 55.40% of the vote. Colorado has also seen more abortion-related ballot measures than any other state. There have been nine on the ballot since the first in 1984, and this year will increase that number to 10.

Florida

Amendment 4 would provide a constitutional right to abortion “before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”

  • Current law: On April 1, 2024, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the state constitution’s right to privacy does not include the right to abortion, overturning a previous decision by the court in 1989 that found that the privacy clause provided a right to abortion. The ruling allowed the state’s 15-week abortion ban, passed by the legislature in 2022, to take effect. In 2023, the legislature passed another bill, called the Heartbeat Protection Act, to ban abortion at six weeks, which was contingent on the state supreme court overturning its prior ruling and allowing the 15-week ban to take effect. The six-week ban took effect on May 1. Before 2022, abortions were legal in Florida until 24 weeks.
  • Measure type: Initiated constitutional amendment
  • Measure support: Floridians Protecting Freedom is leading the campaign supporting the initiative. As of Aug. 2, 2024, the campaign reported $42.58 million in contributions and $26.58 million in expenditures. Supporters also include the ACLU of Florida, the League of Women Voters of Florida, the Fairness Project, and Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida. President Joe Biden (D) also announced support for the measure.
  • Measure opposition: Five committees registered to oppose the initiative: Florida Voters Against Extremism, Keep Florida Pro Life, Do No Harm Florida, and Life First PC, and Florida Freedom Fund. Florida Freedom Fund was created by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R), registered to oppose the initiative as well as Amendment 3, the marijuana legalization initiative. Together, the committees raised $3.8 million. Opponents also include Attorney General Ashley B. Moody (R), the Republican Party of Florida, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the National Center for Life and Liberty.
  • State political context: Florida currently has a Republican trifecta. In the previous presidential election in 2020, Donald Trump (R) won with 51.22% of the vote.

Maryland

Maryland voters will be deciding a constitutional amendment that would guarantee a right to reproductive freedom, including the ability to prevent, continue, or end one’s own pregnancy. The ballot measure is designed to prohibit the constitutional right from being denied or infringed unless there is a compelling state interest, which would need to be achieved using the least restrictive means.

  • Current law: Currently, abortion is legal in Maryland until viability. Abortion is legal after viability if the woman’s life or health is endangered or there is a fetal anomaly.
  • Measure type: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment
  • Measure support: Freedom in Reproduction Maryland is leading the campaign supporting the amendment, though the committee has not reported any contributions. Supporters include Gov. Wes Moore (D) and Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller (D).
  • Measure opposition: Health Not Harm MD is leading the campaign against the amendment. The committee reported over $5,000 in contributions. Opponents include the Maryland Catholic Conference, the Maryland Family Institute, and the Maryland Right to Life PAC.
  • State political context: Maryland currently has a Democratic trifecta. In the previous presidential election in 2020, Joe Biden (D) won with 65.36% of the vote.

Missouri

Missouri voters will be deciding on a ballot initiative that would provide a constitutional right to reproductive freedom, and provide that the state legislature may enact laws that regulate abortion after fetal viability. Signatures were submitted for the amendment on May 3, 2024. Proponents reported submitting 380,159 signatures.

  • Current law: In Missouri, abortion is banned with certain exceptions, which include saving the life or preventing a serious risk to the health of the pregnant woman. This law went into effect on June 24, 2022, following the U.S. Supreme Court Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. Missouri law includes a requirement that patients must undergo a mandatory 72-hour waiting period and receive counseling prior to an abortion. State Medicaid coverage and private health insurance are banned except in very limited circumstances. Missouri law also requires that a minor seeking an abortion must receive parental consent.
  • Measure type: Citizen-initiated constitutional amendment
  • Measure support: Missourians for Constitutional Freedom is leading the campaign in support of this initiative. As of June 30, 2024, the campaign reported $5.5 million in contributions and $3.8 million in expenditures.
  • Measure opposition: Missouri Stands With Women is leading the campaign opposing the initiative. As of June 30, 2024, the campaign reported $198,089.00 in contributions and $182,630.59 in expenditures.
  • State political context: Missouri currently has a Republican trifecta. In the previous presidential election in 2020, Donald Trump (R) won with 56.8% of the vote.

Nevada

Nevada voters will decide on a constitutional amendment to establish a state right to an abortion. The measure would allow for the state to regulate abortion after fetal viability, except where medically indicated to protect the life, physical health, or mental health of the pregnant woman.

  • Current law: In Nevada, abortion is currently legal until 24 weeks of pregnancy.
  • Measure type: Citizen-initiated constitutional amendment
  • Measure support: The Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom PAC is leading the campaign in support of the initiative. The committee reported $4.65 million in contributions and $3.77 million in expenditures as of June 30, 2024. Supporters include Vice Pres. Kamala Harris (D), the ACLU of Nevada, Planned Parenthood Votes Nevada, Reproductive Freedom for All Nevada, and Think Big America.
  • Measure opposition: The Coalition for Parents and Children PAC is leading the campaign opposing the initiative. The committee did not yet report contributions. Opponents include Nevada Right to Life.
  • State political context: Nevada currently has a divided government. The Republican Party controls the office of governor, while the Democratic Party controls both chambers of the state legislature. In the previous presidential election in 2020, Joe Biden (D) won with 50.06% of the vote.

New York

New York voters will decide on a constitutional amendment to prohibit the denial of a person’s rights based on the person’s “ethnicity, national origin, age, [and] disability,” as well as the person’s “sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy.”

  • Current law: New York allows for an abortion up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. Abortion is permitted after 24 weeks if the fetus is not viable or if the pregnant person’s life or health (including mental health) is at risk
  • Measure type: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment
  • Measure support: New Yorkers for Equal Rights is leading the campaign in support of the initiative. The committee reported $2.73 million in contributions and $1.87 in expenditures as of July 11, 2024. Supporters include Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D), the League of Women Voters of New York, the New York Civil Liberties Union, and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
  • Measure opposition: The Coalition to Protect Kids-NY is leading the campaign in opposition to the initiative. The committee reported $274,834.00 in contributions and $241,941.78 in expenditures as of July 11, 2024. Opponents of the amendment include the New York State Catholic Conference.
  • State political context: New York currently has a Democratic trifecta. In the previous presidential election in 2020, Joe Biden (D) won with 60.87% of the vote.

South Dakota

Constitutional Amendment G would provide a trimester framework for regulating abortion in the South Dakota Constitution. During the first trimester of pregnancy, the state would be prohibited from regulating a woman’s decision to have an abortion. During the second trimester of pregnancy, the state may regulate abortion, but “only in ways that are reasonably related to the physical health of the pregnant woman.” And during the third trimester of pregnancy, the state may regulate or prohibit abortion, except “when abortion is necessary, in the medical judgment of the woman’s physician, to preserve the life and health of the pregnant woman.”

  • Current law: In South Dakota, abortion is banned except to save the life of the mother. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision, a 2005 law passed by the South Dakota State Legislature went into effect.
  • Measure type: Initiated constitutional amendment
  • Measure support: Dakotans for Health is leading the campaign in support of the initiative. The campaign reported $349,272.88 in contributions and $308,945.05 in expenditures as of May 15, 2024.
  • Measure opposition: Life Defense Fund and Students for Life of America are leading the campaign opposing the initiative. The committees reported $366,739.70 in contributions and $318,300.46 in expenditures as of May 15, 2024.
  • State political context: South Dakota currently has a Republican trifecta. In the previous presidential election in 2020, Donald Trump (R) won with 61.77% of the vote.

Potential abortion-related ballot measures in 2024

Arkansas

The Arkansans for Limited Government campaign is working to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would prohibit laws or policies restricting abortion access within 18 weeks from conception; in cases of rape, incest, or fatal fetal anomaly; or when abortion is needed to protect the life or health of the mother as determined by a physician.

  • Number of signatures needed: 90,704 valid signatures. On July 5, proponents of the initiative reported submitting about 100,000 signatures. On July 10, Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston (R) rejected the petitions, stating that the campaign failed to provide statements identifying paid canvassers by name and confirming that canvassers were informed about the rules for gathering signatures. Arkansas for Limited Government filed a complaint against the secretary of state for rejecting the petitions. Secretary Thurston said that 87,382 signatures came from volunteer signature gatherers. In Arkansas, if a petition does not meet the required number of valid signatures but has at least 75% of the necessary signatures, petitioners have 30 days to gather additional signatures or validate the previously rejected ones. On July 29, Secretary Thurston said that the ballot question committee did not file required paperwork regarding paid canvasser signatures, and that those 14,143 signatures cannot be counted.
  • Signature deadline: July 5, 2024

Montana

Montana voters may decide on a constitutional amendment that would provide for the right to make and carry out decisions about one’s own pregnancy, including a right to abortion.

  • Number of signatures needed: 60,359 valid signatures. Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights reported submitting about 117,000 signatures to the secretary of state’s office on June 21, 2024.
  • Signature deadline: June 21, 2024

Nebraska

There are two potential abortion-related initiatives in Nebraska.

The Protect Our Rights campaign is working to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would establish a right to abortion until fetal viability.

  • Number of signatures needed: 124,465 valid signatures. The Protect Our Rights campaign reported submitting 207,000 signatures.
  • Signature deadline: July 5, 2024

Another constitutional amendment filed in Nebraska would prohibit abortions after the first trimester unless necessitated by a medical emergency or the pregnancy is a result of sexual assault or incest. The Protect Women & Children campaign is supporting the amendment.

  • Number of signatures needed: 124,465 valid signatures. The Protect Women & Children campaign reported submitting 205,000 signatures.
  • Signature deadline: July 5, 2024

Where have abortion measures been on the ballot since Dobbs?

Following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, seven abortion-related measures appeared on the ballot. 

In 2022, there were six ballot measures addressing abortion. Measures were approved in California, Michigan, and Vermont. Measures were defeated in Kansas, Kentucky, and Montana. The most recent abortion-related ballot measure to be passed by voters was Ohio Issue 1, which voters approved in Nov. 2023.

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