Abortion Rights Constitutional Measures Proposed in Arizona and Montana

Proposals to enshrine abortion rights in the constitutions of Arizona and Montana have made it to the ballots of both states coming November. This weighty move could potentially sway the outcome of the presidential and congressional races in both areas.

On Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court effectively cleared the path forward for the ballot measure, with a ruling that deemed the summary used to gather signatures for the proposal as valid. Likewise, on the same day, the Secretary of State’s Office in Montana certified that sufficient signatures were obtained by abortion rights advocates to put their measure on the ballot.

Arizona and Montana’s measures join the same cause as six other states where abortion rights measures are going to be on their ballots this November. Seen as a key swing state in the impending 2024 presidential election, these measures could be significant in Arizona.

The Impact on the Presidential and Congressional Races

In the last presidential election, President Joe Biden’s hair’s breadth victory in Arizona over then-President Donald Trump was instrumental in securing the former’s triumph in the Electoral College. Similarly, Montana’s incumbent three-term Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat, is currently facing off against the Republican nominee Tim Sheehy, an ex-Navy SEAL. If Sheehy manages to dethrone Tester, it could pave the way for Republicans to gain majority control in the Senate.

The Overturn of Roe v. Wade

In stark events of 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed its decades-old ruling in Roe v. Wade, which safeguarded a federal constitutional right to an abortion. This bold decision, championed by three justices nominated by Republican Donald Trump, paved the way for individual states to establish their own restrictions for abortion access.

However, this decision was criticized for damaging the chances of Republican congressional contestants in 2022. Astonishingly, in seven other states where abortion rights were put on the ballots, these measures converted into law, a surprising turn of events even in states considered to be conservative.