Fight Over Women’s Rights Takes Another Turn
In a significant development for the abortion debate, Missouri’s highest court has ruled that a measure to overturn the state’s stringent abortion restrictions will be on the November ballot. This decision represents a pivotal moment in the ongoing nationwide struggle over abortion laws, which intensified after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
If approved by voters, this proposal would enshrine abortion rights within Missouri’s constitution, effectively replacing the state’s near-total abortion ban. The court’s ruling came just hours before the deadline to finalize ballot measures, ensuring the amendment’s inclusion despite recent controversies.
The Supreme Court directed Missouri’s Republican Secretary of State, Jay Ashcroft, to reinstate the measure on the ballot after he had previously removed it. Ashcroft, known for his anti-abortion stance, was ordered to “take all necessary steps to ensure that it is on said ballot.” While Ashcroft has expressed disappointment with the court’s decision, his office confirmed that the amendment will indeed appear on the ballot.
Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the organization backing this amendment, celebrated the court’s decision. Campaign manager Rachel Sweet emphasized that Missouri voters have shown strong support for reproductive rights, including access to abortion and related health services. “Missourians will now have the opportunity to safeguard these rights in our state constitution,” Sweet said.
However, opposition remains fierce. Mary Catherine Martin, representing a coalition of GOP lawmakers and anti-abortion advocates, criticized the court’s decision. She argued that the initiative petition misled voters by not fully disclosing the specific abortion restrictions it would repeal. According to the plaintiffs, the court’s ruling disregards the need for voters to be thoroughly informed about the potential impacts of their choices.
Since the reversal of Roe v. Wade, Missouri has implemented one of the strictest abortion bans in the country, prohibiting nearly all abortions. This November, in addition to Missouri, voters in eight other states—Colorado, Arizona, Maryland, Florida, Montana, Nevada, Nebraska, and South Dakota—will also decide on measures related to abortion rights. Most of these proposals aim to protect the right to abortion until fetal viability and, in some cases, later if the health of the pregnant woman is at risk.
This high-stakes election could significantly influence voter turnout and potentially impact other races, including the presidential election and key congressional and state contests. In Missouri, Democrats are particularly hopeful that support for abortion rights will drive voter engagement in their favor.
Legal disputes over ballot measures and their wording continue to arise nationwide. For instance, Arkansas’ highest court recently ruled to exclude an abortion rights initiative from the ballot, citing procedural issues with the petitioners. Despite these challenges, voters in states where abortion-related questions have appeared on the ballot since Roe was overturned have consistently supported abortion rights.
