In a pivotal moment for abortion rights, voters in seven states approved measures to protect or expand access while others upheld restrictions, according to The Associated Press.
These contrasting outcomes reflect deep divisions in abortion policy and regional disparities in abortion laws across the country, with some states moving to safeguard reproductive rights while others continue to impose stringent restrictions.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who made abortion rights a major focus of her campaign, lost Tuesday night to Donald Trump, who made a stunning political comeback after losing the 2020 election to President Joe Biden.
Abortion was on the ballot in 10 states: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nebraska, Nevada, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, New York and South Dakota, with at least 50 percent approval needed to pass legislation in each state.
Drawing on data from the presidential election results, Newsweek created this map to show how states voted on abortion.
In Arizona, abortion will once again become broadly legal, following the approval of a new measure that restores access. However, the national landscape remains divided, as states like South Dakota, Florida and Nebraska saw abortion bans or restrictions remain in place, limiting access to the procedure.
In a notable setback for abortion rights advocates, Florida rejected expanding abortion rights and upheld a restrictive abortion measure, maintaining a six-week ban.
Nancy Northup, President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, told Newsweek: "Like so many Americans, Floridians are living under an abortion ban they didn't ask for and don't want. As the majority of Florida voters made clear tonight, they want their reproductive freedom back."
She continued: "Due to the high 60 percent threshold and the state's disinformation campaign, they must continue to live with the fear, uncertainty and denial of care caused by the reversal of Roe. So too will countless women in the Southeastern U.S., which will remain for now a virtual abortion desert."
Colorado, Maryland and Missouri approved amendments to include abortion rights protection in their state constitutions.
Rajani Rao, senior vice president/general manager at Nurx, a health care company providing specialty care for women, told Newsweek: "We are heartened by yesterday's clear progress for reproductive rights. This will expand access to essential care for the millions of women of reproductive age who live in those states and those who are traveling in from other, more restricted states."
She went on: "While yesterday was a step forward, there is still a lot more work we need to do to protect and support women's reproductive health—and, with it, their maternal health, their mental health and so much more. We're getting back to work today with that in mind."
Voters in Missouri approved an amendment to lift an existing ban on abortion, signaling a shift in the state's stance on reproductive rights. It marks the first time a state may undo an active prohibition on abortion since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Colorado's measure, backed by over 55 percent of voters, paves the way for public funding of abortion services by overturning a prior amendment that restricted funding. This change may increase access to abortion through Medicaid and other government insurance programs.
Meanwhile, in New York a measure was passed that prohibits discrimination based on gender identity and pregnancy outcomes, a provision that advocates say supports access to abortion.
These contrasting results reflect deep regional divisions, with some states moving toward greater access and others maintaining restrictions in a post-Roe landscape.
In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the nearly 50-year-old Roe ruling that protected the right to an abortion "without undue restrictive interference from the government," guaranteed under the 14th Amendment.
Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, a 1992 decision that mostly protected those same rights, was also repealed in the Court's 2022 ruling.
English (US) ·