Voters in Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota on Tuesday night voted down major pro-abortion proposals in their states [1], while seven other states saw voters approve measures to expand abortion, in several cases codifying abortion access into the state constitution.
After back-to-back pro-life losses in half a dozen states since 2022, the rejection of the pro-abortion measures in three states on Tuesday represent the first victories at the ballot box for pro-life advocates since the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Most notably, Florida voters failed to cross the super-majority threshold to adopt Amendment 4, which would have added a right to abortion before the point of “viability” to the state’s constitution and allowed for abortions later in pregnancy if deemed “necessary” for reasons of “health”.
The measure would have overturned the state’s Heartbeat Protection Act, one of the most pro-life laws in the country, which restricts abortion after six weeks of pregnancy with limited exceptions.
The measure failed after garnering 57pc of the vote; three short of the 60pc it needed to pass.
It was strongly opposed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Catholic Church in Florida.