Kansas was the first state in the nation to hold a referendum on abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Kansas protects the right to abortion in its state constitution. A “yes” vote would have repealed that protection and enabled the GOP majority in the legislature to write new restrictions or to ban abortion altogether. A “no” vote would protect the abortion language in the state constitution.
In 2019, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled 6-1 that the state constitution protected abortion rights. Anti-abortion activists hoped that this referendum would reverse the 2019 decision.
The judges in Kansas blocked the law on the basis of the state Constitution’s Bill of Rights, ruling that it “affords protection of the right of personal autonomy, which includes the ability to control one’s own body.” This extends, they ruled, to the decision of whether to have an abortion.
Political commentators expected a close vote. Kansas is a conservative state, even though it has a Democratic Governor.
The vote was not close. The vote to preserve abortion rights in the state constitution was decisive. At last count, it was about 60%-40%.
Voters of both parties supported women’s right to bodily autonomy.
CNN commented:
Polls have consistently shown that the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is broadly unpopular. A CNN poll released in late July found nearly two-thirds of Americans disapprove of the Supreme Court decision, with even 55% of self-identified moderate or liberal Republicans saying they disapproved of the decision. But the results on Tuesday, the first electoral test of abortion rights after the Supreme Court decision, put an even finer point on that sentiment.
One can only imagine what would happen if abortion rights were put on the ballot in every red state, rather than left to the male-dominated state legislatures who would like to turn back the clock by at least 50 years and keep women barefoot and pregnant.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Surprised but not a surprise.
The common sense, logical, or 21st century stance on hot button issues (guns, abortion) and 21st century “WE the people” (meaning everyone – races, immigrants, LGBTQ, poor) is usually a strong majority.
It breaks down because of representatives who ignore the popular vote. And, gerrymandering.
We can only hope that significant majority in Kansas and elsewhere vote in November.
We can only hope that significant majority in Kansas and elsewhere vote in November.
So, so, so, important.
This is the battle line. The Repugnican Extremists must be stopped here.
I am 80 years young. I was raised in Kansas. I have a fairly good idea how the very conservative Kansas citizen think and act.
I is totally beyond me how the voters actually came through and voted to do the right thing for the women of Kansas. I read the report last night and at first could not believe it. My wife, who was also raised in Kansas, is beyond herself with joy. We are both happily amazed.
Of course, we have family members, ultra conservative, who are going to deny the vote ever happen and the count is wrong.
We can never move back to Kansas to be near family because of their ultra-conservative attitude.
Happy Days for the women/girls of Kansas.
I would love to see a similar referendum in Texas.
Abortions in Illinois for out-of-state patients have skyrocketed. And some wait times are exceeding three weeks-Chicago Tribune
Hundreds more out-of-state patients are having abortions at Planned Parenthood clinics in Illinois and wait times to schedule the procedure in the southern part of the state have spiked during the first month after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
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Before the June 24 ruling, when abortion was still legal nationwide, a patient could schedule an appointment to terminate a pregnancy in three or four days in southern Illinois; now it’s taking on average three weeks or more because of a massive influx of out-of-state patients, according to Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, which also covers the southern region of Illinois…
Before Roe was overturned, Planned Parenthood of Illinois provided abortions to roughly 100 out-of-state patients each month. In July, the first full month after the ruling, the number of abortion patients coming from other states swelled to more than 800, according to the agency.
Those seeking an abortion in Illinois are also traveling from more states than before, at increasing distances…Since the fall of Roe, patients have been coming from 30 states, said Kristen Schultz, chief strategy and operations officer for Planned Parenthood of Illinois.
“The geography is also expanding,” she said. “We have now seen more patients than ever from Wisconsin, Ohio, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Texas. The travel time is increasing. The need is increasing. The stress is increasing.”
While Planned Parenthood of Illinois has been able to handle the influx with no major impact on wait times so far, there’s no guarantee that capacity will be able to keep up with demand as more states implement abortion bans or stringent restrictions, officials said…
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-illinois-abortion-increase-post-roe-20220802-eottdwcfnjfjxdvbfgd4kwefwu-story.html
What these cruel, punitive lawmakers don’t seem to realize, is that an abortion, in and of itself, isn’t a partisan issue. I guarantee you that there are plenty of conservative women, teens, mothers, and sisters who have obtained one or who have supported the decision for a friend or loved one. These women are seeing their rights stripped away right before their eyes by a bunch of (mostly) old, white men, and they get it. And, yes, despite all suppression efforts, they vote. Let’s hope the Sisterhood carries momentum to other states.
Pro-choice is not murder. It includes pro-life. Pro-choice is pro body-autonomy for women. It does not force women to abort. Unlike the pro-life people, it does not force a personal decision on anyone. It is about equality for women in my opinion.
YES, Oakland Mom!
One can only hope that Kansas state legislators try to subvert the will of the electorate. As right wing State Legislatures have done on several other referendums. From voting rights for ex felons in Florida to Right to Work laws in Missouri and Wisconsin … . Of course I doubt they would be so cooperative months before an election. But then again the election result was ” fake “.
Please make my Day !
It must be a shock to an anti-abortionist in Kansas to realize that nearly two of every three people they know or see walking down the street or driving next to them on the roads, or working beside them doesn’t agree with them on the constitutional right to choose an abortion. That must make the anti-abortionist feel uneasy…surrounded by “enemies” who are family members, friends, and co-workers.
Abortion is among the non-enumerated rights guaranteed by the 9th Amendment and protected by the 14th Amendment, must like Justice Thomas’s right to live in an interracial marriage is a non-enumerated and protected right. The 9th Amendment makes it clear that a constitutional right doesn’t have to be specifically mentioned in the Constitution.
Most Americans can see the antiabortion crowd for who and what they are: religious extremists hiding behind the flimsiest of legal arguments in order to impose their own religious strictures on ALL women.
Maybe when these folks start to feel unwelcome in and even rejected and ostracized by their own communities and states, they will think twice about trying to impose their own religious views on others.
Maybe. But probably not. Religious extremists tend to push things well past the point of no return. They simply cannot be tolerant, not even when it is for their own good.
The University of Notre Dame’s recent “Religious Liberty (sic) Summit” is a perfect example of religious extremism and intolerance in action
Notre Dame asked Alito to be the keynote speaker, almost certainly knowing ahead of time what he would say — that he would mock any leader who has criticized the Majority ruling that threw out Roe.
The whole thing was a big “screw you!” to anyone who disagrees with their religious views. It was a truly disgusting display for a Supreme Court Justice and for an organization that calls itself a “law school”.
Catholics like Alito and Roberts should probably focus on cleaning up their own pedophile infested house before they start dictating proper “moral” behavior for others.
Social sanction, negative and positive, is a powerful force for change. Hoping to see a LOT more of what happened here in Kansas, nationwide. This widespread opposition is what will eventually keep the fundie Christian nationalist fascist Repugnican Party from maintaining the Fourth Reich they are looking to put in place.
“That must make the anti-abortionist feel uneasy…”
Feeling uneasy is what conservative extremists do best. The entire conservative movement, indeed conservatism at its core in an 18th century sense, is all about the majority of people being unable to govern themselves because of an inherent inferiority of opinion.
No matter how this fight goes, around 40% of the voting population will be winnable with opposition to legal abortion. If they can add some other hot buttons, the popular vote is theirs.
Quickwrit was not talking about thefthe aanti aborcrowd crowd feeling uneasy because of the Republicans.
The implication is that the antiabortion crowd may feel uneasy when (if?) They realize that they aremare actually in the minority and tthat most people do not agree with nor appreciate what they are effectively having forced upon them by religious extremists.
Personally, I think that would be a good thing for them to feel uneasy and even uncomfortable. Perhaps if they had to pay a significant price (eg,by being ostracized by their communities) for what they are doing to millions of women, they would not be so quick to try to force their religious beliefs on others.
It’s called. “accountability”, something Republicans should be familiar with.
“paying a significant price” is the key to stopping the churches of GOP Jesus.
White priests have shamed women in their pews for far too long, all in an effort to make them 2nd class citizens.
YES, YES, YES!
Abortion is protected by the 9th amendment as an unenumerated right. The right to make a private decision between you and your doctor.
Fully agree. If medical privacy is not an unenumerated right, then we need to get a medical privacy amendment going now. After reading the Dobbes Decision, I am thinking we need an amendment for everything from breathing to brining pickles.
great news!!!
but also i saw that republican candidates who voted for impeachment lost to trump-supported candidates who were funded by the democrats (amazing but true). shameful. did we learn nothing from 2016.
I’m willing to see if the calculated risk works out.
We learned that Trumpism led to outstanding Democratic turnout in 18 and 20 .
The Dem’s support for certain trump candidates is nuanced as explained by Sarah Burris, 8-3-2022, in an article about Mich.’s Peter Meijer (Raw Story).
The nation (and, Indiana) has one less member of Congress trying to take away women’s rights – Jacqui Walorski.
Trump endorsed Walorski, 4-29-2022, after the Jan. 6 insurrection. She’s one of Team Trump. She voted against his impeachment.
Walorski thought any old school was good for kids, including Mommy schools.
When Walorski meets her “savior and Lord”, she can explain why she repeatedly voted against ACA and particularly the protections for pre-existing conditions.
Meanwhile, in the actual universe, . . .
Yes Bob, in the actual universe, her reputation should be pilloried.
Her Dem opponent was gaining in the district before Walorski kicked the bucket. I hope the Nov. vote gets chalked up as a blue win.
I don’t like the thought of anyone dying in a car crash. However, does Indiana need a politician like Walorski?
……………………………………………..
Jacqueline R. Walorski, August 17, 1963 – August 3, 2022) was an American politician and U.S. representative for Indiana’s 2nd congressional district from 2013 until her death in August 2022. A member of the Republican Party, she was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives, representing Indiana’s 21st district, from 2005 to 2010.
Summary of voting record: Representative Walorski opposes taxing businesses, consumer protection, funding education, environmental protection, financial sector regulation, gun control, humane immigration policy, labor rights and wages, lgbt rights, avoiding default, poverty amelioration, racial equality, increasing revenues, taxing the wealthy, countering russian interference, a robust safety net, women’s rights and supports big business, hawkish foreign policy, taxing the middle class, military spending, domestic surveillance.
I’m sorry that Rep Walorski died such a terrible death. I’m sorry for the young people who died while traveling with her.
A list of people who adversely changed their countries and had potential to continue to harm the vulnerable and democracy itself, could be constructed. As benchmarks, Hitler could peg one end and Marjorie Taylor Greene, the other end.
Where does Trump fall on the sympathy continuum now that he’s out of office causing less harm and where does Walorski fall?
The 10 year old rape victim who can no longer go to Indiana weighs on my mind, the prospective vote of Walorski against birth control and the resulting loss of life weigh on my mind. The poor who can’t eat or afford their medicines remove any possible sympathy for her loss of life. She believed in scripture, you reap what you sow..
Walorski’s is described as being “a heavily Republican District,” but Dems can hope…& work hard for a Dem candidate.