What To Know About Ohio’s Special Election and Abortion Access

In the 14 months since the U.S. Supreme Court gutted abortion access in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization by overturning Roe v. Wade, one thing has become clear: The Supreme Court was out of step with a strong majority of Americans who believe that abortion should be legal in all or most cases and are willing to fight to reassert their rights. And nowhere is this more evident than recent state ballot initiatives regarding abortion.

In 2022, six states supported abortion rights on the ballot—a direct rejection of the Supreme Court’s overreach in Dobbs. In California and Michigan, nearly 67 percent and 57 percent of voters approved a constitutional provision to reproductive freedom, including abortion. Additionally, in Vermont, almost 77 percent of voters supported a constitutional provision to protect personal reproductive autonomy. Likewise, in 2022, Kansas and Kentucky voters rejected amendments to exclude abortion rights from their state constitutions, and Montana voters rejected a measure designed to confuse the public about abortion and disrupt medical professionals’ care of their patients.