Will Abortion Rights Be On the Ballot in Missouri?

Voters have sided with abortion rights supporters every time the issue has been directly on the ballot since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to abortion in 2022.

This year, the question could be put before voters in yet more states. It’s a lock to be on the ballot in Colorado, Florida, Maryland and South Dakota. And it’s a possibility in several other states, including Arizona and Nevada.

The abortion rights measures would not all guarantee the same level of access, and some are so narrow that Planned Parenthood doesn’t support putting them on the ballot.

Missouri abortion rights advocates turned in more than 380,000 signatures — more than twice the required 171,000 — for a measure asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment to guarantee abortion until viability.

Local election officials have until July 30 to verify the signatures, then it's up to the secretary of state to declare whether there were enough.

A group of moderate Republicans have for this year abandoned efforts for an alternate amendment that would have allowed abortion up to 12 weeks, with limited exceptions after that.

Abortion is currently banned in Missouri at all stages of pregnancy, with limited exceptions.