Reproductive rights groups in Montana have submitted petitions to put a state constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights on the November ballot.
Montana Reproductive Rights (MSRR) announced on Friday that it had collected more than 117,000 signatures. Approximately 60,000 All that is needed is for the measure to qualify to be placed on the general election ballot.
Montana is one of several states where organizers are pushing to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitutions after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and ended federal protections for abortion access two years ago. Democrats also hope the measure will boost voter turnout and help abortion-rights candidates in battleground states.
“As we approach the two-year anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, we are reminded why this amendment is so important to Montana families,” Martha Fuller, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of Montana and spokesperson for MSRR, said in a statement.
“In Montana, our rights have been targeted by radical anti-abortion politicians who will do anything to take away our freedom to make medical decisions, but Montanans stand ready to defend their right to an abortion,” Fuller said.
But just because the signatures have been submitted doesn’t mean the measure will immediately appear on the November ballot: The county-level tallies must be verified and sent to the Montana Secretary of State for approval before the effort can be officially approved, MSRR noted.
Ballot measures aimed at protecting abortion rights are already on the ballot in Colorado, Florida, Maryland and South Dakota, with efforts underway in Arizona, Missouri, Nevada and other states.
In the wake of Roe’s downfall, abortion has become a major issue in the 2024 election, and the latest developments in Montana come just days before the two-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision.
