Abortion Constitutional Amendments Win in Seven States, 7.3 Million People Still Under Anti-Abortion Control

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 6, 2024

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While abortion is popular at the ballot box, anti-abortion politicians remain largely in control, creating an uphill battle for abortion access.

While abortion constitutional amendments won in seven states, anti-abortion disinformation tactics played a role in undermining abortion measures in Nebraska, South Dakota, and Florida. Of the winning states, two states (7.3 million people) remain under anti-abortion trifectas — State House, Senate, and Governor control.  These costly campaigns did not lead to down-ballot wins, setting a challenging landscape for the implementation phase for states with new constitutional standards.    

Statement from Haydee Morales, interim president National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund

“Today is a reminder that abortion misinformation remains a threat to our reproductive rights and freedoms.  Anti-abortion operatives will stop at nothing to spread misinformation about basic health care — from inflammatory rhetoric around later abortion to offensive misinformation about trans people and stigmatizing narratives about young folks.  While each election cycle is an opportunity to sharpen the tools we use to build and strengthen a pro-abortion landscape, proactive and expansive change is top of mind for NIRH AF beyond election years too. We cannot stop until justice and equity are a reality for all.”    

States must now rethink their approach and use this as an opportunity to elect leaders and create policies that align with what most Americans want — to remove government from decision-making at all points of pregnancy. New national research shows the majority of Americans want the decision of whether someone can have an abortion left to the person and their doctor (75%) including in the last three months of pregnancy (66%) versus regulated by the government.  

Regardless of who is in the White House, state legislatures have the power to severely restrict or expand access. NIRH’s policy vision to move toward reproductive freedom and justice starts at the local and state level, including the judicial system.  

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The National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund (NIRH Action Fund) is an advocacy group that builds political power for reproductive freedom. We partner with allied groups in states and cities to elect candidates who stand up for everyone’s right to control their reproductive lives, and work with elected officials to protect and advance reproductive rights. Our strategy is to go on the offensive and focus on communities where change is needed, so the fabric of reproductive freedom becomes harder to tear apart.