Supporters of abortion rights in Arizona submitted more than twice as many signatures on Wednesday in order to get the topic on the ballot in November in this crucial swing state.
823,685 signatures were submitted, according to organizers in Arizona, significantly more than the 383,923 necessary from voters who are already enrolled. Election authorities in the county have until August 22 to confirm if a sufficient number of signatures on the petition are legitimate and submit the results to the secretary of state’s office in Arizona.
The United States Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade in 2022, which led to the enactment of Arizona’s present abortion prohibition.
The Civil War-era abortion ban was repealed by the Republican-controlled Legislature and signed by Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs, despite the Arizona Supreme Court upholding the 1864 ban two months prior. The ban allowed abortions only in cases of maternal necessity and did not grant exceptions for survivors of rape or incest.
Arizona for Abortion Access spokeswoman Chris Love declared, “Women in Arizona do not want to live in 1864 or 1964.” “With our families, doctors, and other decision-makers—not politicians or judges—we want to make our own decisions about pregnancy and abortion.”
Arizona presently prohibits abortions after 15 weeks. With few exceptions made to preserve the mother’s life or to safeguard her physical or mental well-being, the proposed amendment would permit abortions up until the point at which the fetus may live outside the womb, usually between 22 and 24 weeks. It would limit the state’s ability to pass or implement legislation that would make the process inaccessible.
Critics claim it goes too far and opens the door to unrestricted, limitless abortions in Arizona. Proponents contend that a state constitution amendment is required to guarantee that the right to an abortion cannot be readily taken away by a legislative or court vote.
“The fact that this is the largest number of signatures ever obtained for a ballot initiative in Arizona’s history demonstrates the widespread support among Arizona voters for restoring and protecting abortion access in Arizona,” Cheryl Bruce, campaign manager of Arizona for Abortion Access, said in a statement.
According to Arizona for Abortion Access spokesman Dawn Penich, it was the most number of signatures ever received for a state-wide citizen initiative.
Penich stated, “That was our objective from the beginning.” “We started collecting signatures in September and October 2023 and saw how passionate people are about this issue.”
Image Credit: AZCentral
This week, activists in Nebraska and Arkansas want to gather signatures for ballot initiatives pertaining to abortion.
Nebraska’s attempt to outlaw abortion completely began eight weeks ago, and it is unlikely to receive the necessary number of signatures. The 12-week ban plan, which got underway in March because of a $500,000 payment from Republican U.S. Senator from Nebraska, Pete Ricketts, has made a ferocious last-ditch effort to get signatures, but it has hinted that it might not get enough.
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, Arkansas passed a statute outlawing almost all abortions. With the exception of rape, incest, severe fetal abnormalities, and situations in which the mother’s life is in danger, the state would not be able to forbid abortions within the first eighteen weeks of pregnancy under the proposed constitutional change.
The initiative’s supporters, Arkansans for Limited Government, stated on Facebook and Instagram on Tuesday that 8,200 signatures were still required. To be eligible, the group must provide at least 90,704 legitimate signatures from voters who are registered.