Media Coverage: Abortion on the Ballot

Tuesday’s election marked a monumental victory for reproductive rights, as millions of Americans voted directly to protect their fundamental right to abortion. Voters approved non-partisan ballot initiatives to protect abortion rights in their state constitutions in California, Michigan, and Vermont, and in Kentucky and Montana, rejected anti-abortion measures.  These votes came after Kansans rejected an anti-abortion ballot measure in August.

The results in these states reflect the American people’s clear support for reproductive rights and repudiation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and eliminate the constitutional right to abortion.

Several media outlets reported on the state ballot initiative victories. Highlights include:

“Abortion rights triumphed from coast to coast,” Los Angeles Times, 11/9/22

• “Polls continually indicate that a majority of Americans support the right to abortion and disagree with the Supreme Court’s decision to abolish that right. And the results so far on all the abortion-related measures on the Nov. 8 ballot show that voters — in states from the most liberal to the most conservative — want their reproductive rights upheld. That is a powerful and profound statement that must not be ignored.”
• “It may be a new day in the way this issue is being thought about,” said Nancy Northup, the chief executive of the Center for Reproductive Rights, in citing the victory of abortion rights in liberal, moderate and conservative states alike. “I hope this will be seen as a nonpartisan issue that is about rights and health.”

“Abortion rights advocates see a flurry of post-Roe victories in midterms,” NBC News, 11/9/22

• “Conventional wisdom told us for years that abortion is the most deeply partisan issue, but that’s simply not true,” said Elisabeth Smith, director of state policy and advocacy for the Center for Reproductive Rights. “I think what we see are that Americans across the political spectrum understand abortion to be a liberty issue, and a freedom issue.”

“Midterms bring major constitutional wins for abortion rights,” Axios, 11/9/22

• The projected results send a “powerful and positive statement” that the public believes “this health care service should remain legal and accessible,” said Elisabeth Smith. Without Roe, “state constitutions are now the best vehicle to protect abortion rights and ensure access.”

“Michigan, California, Vermont Affirm Abortion Rights in State Ballot Proposals,” The New York Times, 11/9/22

• “The results, which came just months after the U.S. Supreme Court removed the constitutional right to abortion, showed that when asked directly, a broad cross section of Americans want to protect abortion access.”
• “The amendments marked a victory for abortion rights supporters, who since losing in the Supreme Court this summer have sought to preserve or restore access to the procedure through a series of lawsuits, ballot initiatives and legislative fights.”

“US states vote to protect reproductive rights in rebuke to anti-abortion push,” The Guardian, 11/9/22

• “Voters in multiple states passed measures to enshrine the right to abortion during Tuesday’s midterm elections, delivering a rebuke to the crackdown on reproductive freedoms taking place across the US.”

“The abortion-rights movement is jubilant after the midterms turned the anti-abortion tide,” Business Insider, 11/13/22

• This week’s surprise midterm results have provided “a moment of celebration, a moment of jubilation, and a moment to take a breath,” said Elisabeth Smith.