
Voters in Montana, six other states protect right to abortion
(KFF) Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, voters in 16 states have weighed in on constitutional amendments regarding abortion.
In 2024, 10 states voted on abortion measures that sought to affirm that the state constitution protects the right to abortion. Nebraska voted on two measures: one seeking to protect abortion and the other seeking to ban abortion after the first trimester.
Measures protecting abortion rights succeeded in 7 states – Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, and New York – and failed in 3 – Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota.
The measure constitutionally prohibiting abortions after the first trimester passed in Nebraska. Prior to the 2024 election, the side favoring access to abortion prevailed in every state that voted on abortion constitutional amendment ballot measures.
In 4 of these states – California, Michigan, Ohio, and Vermont – measures amending the state constitution to protect the right to abortion were approved by voters and in the other 2 states – Kentucky and Kansas – measures seeking to curtail the right to abortion failed.