Abortion Rights to be Decided by Voters in Eight Critical US States

Abortion rights will be a key issue on the ballot in at least eight US states in the upcoming November 5 election. Key battleground states such as Arizona and Nevada will vote on measures to protect abortion access. The outcome could impact both the presidential race and control of Congress.

Abortion will be on the ballot in at least eight U.S. states for the Nov. 5 election, including battleground states likely to play critical roles in the presidential race and the fight for control of Congress. Democrats, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, the party's presidential candidate, have sought to build support for the measures, which they hope will galvanize left-leaning and independent voters. Harris faces Republican former President Donald Trump in the election. The states where voters will decide whether to guarantee abortion rights include Arizona and Nevada, which are not only likely to be among the states that decide the presidential contest but also feature high-profile Senate races that could determine which party controls that chamber.

The issue has bedeviled Republicans since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision to eliminate a nationwide right to abortion. Anger over the ruling was widely credited with limiting Republican gains in the 2022 midterm elections, as well as boosting Democrats' performance in state races in Kentucky and Virginia last year. Voters have chosen to protect or expand abortion access in all seven statewide ballot measures put to a vote since the court's decision, including in conservative strongholds such as Ohio, Kentucky and Kansas.

Arizona election officials approved a ballot measure that would amend the state constitution to guarantee abortion rights up to fetal viability. The coalition of reproductive rights groups backing the initiative had submitted more than double the required number of signatures. The Arizona Supreme Court recently rejected an attempt by an anti-abortion group to block the measure. The state's race for an open Senate seat between Democrat Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake is one of a handful expected to determine Senate control.

In Florida, the state Supreme Court approved a ballot measure that allows voters to decide on protecting abortion access. Florida has leaned Republican in recent elections, but Democrats believe they may put Florida back in play. Nevada has also approved a referendum to protect abortion rights, which voters would need to approve twice to amend the constitution.

Other states, including Missouri, South Dakota, and Nebraska, are also considering abortion rights measures. Montana and Colorado have ballot measures that could protect abortion rights in their constitutions. Both Montana and Colorado already permit abortions, and these measures aim to add further protections against future legislative or judicial limitations.

(With inputs from agencies.)