Arizona voters will have the opportunity to vote on a proposed constitutional amendment regarding abortion rights in the upcoming November elections.
The Arizona secretary of state’s office announced that it has certified a remarkable 577,971 signatures, significantly exceeding the required threshold for this ballot initiative.
The coalition advocating for the measure, Arizona for Abortion Access, declared this achievement as the highest number of validated signatures for a citizens initiative in state history.
“This is a significant victory for Arizona voters, allowing them to restore and protect the right to access abortion care without political interference,” stated the campaign manager.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022, abortion rights have become a pivotal issue for Democrats as they gear up for this year’s elections.
This issue will also appear on ballots in several other states this year, including Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, New York, and South Dakota.
Currently, Arizona law prohibits abortions after 15 weeks, although there are exceptions for medical emergencies. The law also imposes restrictions on non-surgical procedures and mandates an ultrasound prior to any abortion, as well as parental consent for minors.
The proposed amendment would permit abortions until a fetus can typically survive outside the womb—approximately 24 weeks—and would include exceptions to safeguard the mother’s life or health. It would also prevent the state from adopting any laws that would restrict access to abortion services.
Initial submissions for the initiative included 823,685 signatures, more than double the required 383,923 from registered voters.
Opponents of the amendment argue that it could result in unrestricted access to abortion in Arizona.
Supporters contend that a constitutional amendment provides stronger protections for abortion rights against potential future changes from court rulings or legislative actions.
Earlier this year, the Arizona Supreme Court upheld an 1864 law restricting abortions to cases that save the mother’s life, without exceptions for rape or incest. However, the Republican-controlled Legislature later voted to repeal this historical ban, which was promptly signed by the Democratic governor.
This 19th-century law had been essentially nullified following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which removed constitutional protections for abortion nationwide.
