Six states expand abortion protections as Florida ballot fails

Voters in six states have approved measures to protect or expand abortion rights, but a bid to restore protections for the procedure failed in Florida.

A variety of questions on abortion access were on the ballot in 10 states during the seismic election, in which the issue was a galvanising force for many voters.

The proposal in Florida would have allowed abortion until the point of foetal viability or about 24 weeks, but it fell short of the threshold of 60% support in order to pass.

But an amendment aimed at overturning a near-total abortion ban in Missouri, where a majority of voters backed Donald Trump, appeared on track for victory.

Results are still pending from some of the states where abortion is on the ballot in this election - the first presidential contest since the US Supreme Court overturned the national right to abortion two years ago.

The ruling prompted many states to introduce bans or severe restrictions on the practice, reducing access for millions of American women.

Arizona, Nebraska, Nevada, Florida, Maryland, New York, Missouri, Montana, Colorado and South Dakota answered questions on access in the election ballot.

While the ballot looked different in each of the 10 states, most asked whether the right to abortion until foetal viability should be enshrined.

Since the ruling, campaigns to restore or protect abortion access by using state-level ballot propositions have been successful, including in reliably conservative states such as Kansas.

Vice-President Kamala Harris had also leaned into the abortion issue throughout her campaign.

The change was brought about by the US Supreme Court in June 2022.

After the Roe v Wade ruling - which had guaranteed women the right to an abortion up until foetal viability - was overturned, Missouri was the first state to ban abortion, except in emergencies.

In Arizona, more than 60% of voters backed an amendment to protect the right to abortion until the point of viability. The measure extends access from the current 15 weeks currently allowed under state rules.

Campaigners in Florida had promoted the amendment as a way to override the strict law enacted earlier this year, which banned abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy, with limited exceptions.

Trump had initially appeared to support the measure, but said he would vote against it after receiving pushback within his own party.

The measure also faced strong opposition from Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who used state resources to persuade voters to vote “no”.

With 95% of the votes reported, the Florida amendment was projected to win support from 57% of voters, according to Reuters.

Betsy Linkhorst, a first-time voter in Florida, said the result in her state left her "heartbroken, scared and frankly, worried for the future".

"This was such an important opportunity to protect women’s rights and our ability to make decisions over our own bodies," the 18-year-old said.

Maria McNally, who voted against the amendment, said she believed that it would have allowed abortions too far into pregnancy.

“I’m happy it failed,” she said.

Results of abortion-related ballot questions are still pending in states including Montana and Nebraska.

In Maryland and Colorado, where abortion is currently legal, voters approved measures to enshrine a right to the procedure in the state constitutions.

In Colorado's case, the amendment will also expand access, allowing abortion to be covered under government health insurance plans.

Nevada voters also approved a measure to establish a right to abortion in the state's constitution. Under current rules, it is allowed until the 24th week, with exceptions to protect the life of the mother.

A majority of voters will have to approve the measure again in two years for the amendment to be enacted.

Nebraska voters are projected to have enshrined the state's current 12-week abortion ban in the state's constitution with some exceptions, including incest, rape and saving the life of a pregnant woman.

New York, where abortion is legal until viability, approved an amendment that would bar discrimination due to pregnancy or reproductive health.

In Arizona, where abortion is currently legal until the 15th week of pregnancy, it is projected that voters have approved a proposal to protect the right to abortion up to the 24th week.