New Mexico Abortion Ban Qualifies for Ballot

New Mexico Abortion Ban Qualifies for Ballot

The Albuquerque city clerk verified there were enough signatures on a petition to put the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Ordinance on a ballot. This ordinance will ban abortions after 20 weeks in the city.

There was controversy a few weeks ago when the city clerk said they could not verify enough signatures in time for it to appear on the October 8 ballot. Only 12,000 signatures are needed and Project Defending Life collected over 27,000 in 20 days.

The city council has 14 days to adopt the ordinance, amend it, or send it for a city vote. If they choose to adopt the ordinance, it would become law without a vote. A special election could cost taxpayers $600,000. Tara Shaver of Project Defending Life and Cheryl Sullenger of Operation Rescue think the council should adopt the law to save the money because of the amount of signatures they gathered:

“We are confident it will pass on a special election ballot. However, in order to save the city money we will ask that the City Councilors adopt the ordinance. The people have spoken – 27,000 in 20 days,” said Tara Shaver of Project Defending Life.

“If the city wants to be fiscally responsible, it will save the taxpayers the cost of a special election by approving this late-term abortion ban since it shows an even wider support among Albuquerque citizens than other petition measures directly adopted by the council,” said Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor for Operation Rescue. “It’s time for elected representatives on the council to heed the voice of the people.”

There are no restrictions on abortion in New Mexico. It is home to the country’s largest late term abortion clinic, Southwestern Women’s Options, where the doctors will abort up to the day of birth. Owner Curtis Boyd openly characterizes what he does as “killing.”

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