Abortion rights advocates push for 2024 ballot initiative in Arizona

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Abortion rights supporters in Arizona initiated a campaign on Tuesday to seek a constitutional amendment for abortion rights, a move that further fuels the highly charged debate in the state as it heads into the next election year.

Should they obtain the necessary signatures, Arizona will join other states in posing the question of reproductive rights directly to the electorate. Even in traditionally conservative states, voters have demonstrated strong support for abortion rights.

Democrats’ stance on abortion rights played a role in limiting their losses in the previous midterms after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to terminate the constitutional right to abortion. As President Joe Biden works towards reelection amid declining popularity, the subject continues to be highly relevant.

Currently, Arizona prohibits abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, barring certain exceptions. Foes of abortion have sought permission from the Arizona Supreme Court to enforce a long-standing law that almost entirely prohibits the procedure.

The proposed amendment would safeguard abortion rights until the fetus can survive outside the womb, generally around the 24-week mark, and would also permit later abortions in cases to preserve the mother’s life or physical or mental health.

Chris Love, a senior adviser to Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, acknowledged the uphill struggle for reproductive freedom and stressed the importance of the ballot initiative. Meanwhile, Maria Birnbaum, from the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, criticized the proposal, claiming it could allow late-term abortions.

The GOP has faced difficulties in addressing abortion politics since the Supreme Court removed federal protections last year, resulting in varied restrictions across states.

In states like Kansas and Kentucky, voters have acted to safeguard abortion rights, while in Ohio, there is an ongoing debate. In Arizona’s last midterms, two-thirds of voters considered the Supreme Court’s decision on abortion significant, with a majority supporting Democrat Katie Hobbs, who narrowly became governor.

Hobbs expressed excitement for the opportunity for Arizonans to voice their opinions in the upcoming November election, expressing confidence in their support for a constitutional right to abortion.

Arizona, where Biden won by less than 11,000 votes in 2020, remains a crucial battleground. The President visited the state for the second time on Tuesday, announcing a national monument for the greater Grand Canyon area.

Organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, Affirm Sexual and Reproductive Health, Arizona List, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, NARAL Arizona, and Healthcare Rising Arizona are backing the Arizona initiative. They must gather 384,000 signatures from registered voters by July to have the question appear on the 2024 ballot.

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