Kansas Gears Up for Statewide Vote on Abortion

ATLANTA, GA - JULY 23: Mia Knighton (Left) marchs along side other protestors in Downtown
Megan Varner/Getty Images
Hannah Knudsen

Voters in Kansas are gearing up for a statewide vote on the issue of abortion on Tuesday as Democrats beg them to defend a woman’s ability to terminate her pregnancy.

A “yes” vote on what has been dubbed the “Value Them Both” amendment would amend the state’s constitution, making it easier for legislatures to enact abortion laws. According to a summary of the amendment, it would specifically “create a new section in the Kansas Bill of Rights concerning the regulation of abortion.”

A yes vote “would affirm there is no Kansas constitutional right to abortion or to require the government funding of abortion, and would reserve to the people of Kansas, through their elected state legislators, the right to pass laws to regulate abortion.”

A “no” vote “would make no changes to the constitution of the state of Kansas, and could restrict the people, through their elected state legislators, from regulating abortion by leaving in place the recently recognized right to abortion,” per the resolution.

Further, the explanatory statement of the proposal adds that the amendment would give the people, through their representatives, the right to pass laws on abortion “including, but not limited to, in circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, or when necessary to save the life of the mother.”

Some Democrats, such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), are sounding the alarms.

“Abortion rights are on the ballot in Kansas tomorrow. Vote NO to defend safe and legal abortion,” she begged:

“Reproductive freedoms are on the Kansas ballot 8/2! As @sharicedavids #KS03 said, voting NO on the amendment means NO changes to your rights. Kansans KEEP their reproductive freedoms — including abortion and contraception,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said ahead of the big vote:

The vote comes over a month after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, sending the decisions on abortion regulations back to the states.

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