Arizona abortion rights advocates watching Ohio abortion amendment vote closely

PHOENIX - Arizona does not have any major ballot initiatives or political races on the ballot for 2023, but abortion rights advocates in Arizona are monitoring the latest developments in Ohio, where voters there voted on an abortion-rights ballot initiative.

The outcome for that ballot initiative would be a sign of what voter sentiment could be like here in Arizona, and come November 2024, Arizona voters may be deciding on abortion rights, with activists gathering signatures for a ballot initiative that will ask voters whether or not the state’s constitution should be changed to expand and protect abortion rights.

Currently, after a period of legal uncertainty, abortion in Arizona is outlawed after 15 weeks.

"To amend Arizona’s Constitution to guarantee an unrestricted right to abortion services from a medical professional, up to the point of viability," said Jodi Liggett with the Arizona Center for Women’s Advancement.

Signature gathering efforts for what advocates call the Arizona For Abortion Access Act began in August.

"Testing the language of this initiative specifically, our support stays well over 50%," said Liggett. "We know we can get those votes because we have listened to Arizona voters."

Officials with a local non-partisan public opinion polling company say according to their research, the ballot initiative has a chance of passing next November.

"Ohio is an interesting test case of this, because Ohio is, at its baseline, redder than Arizona," said David Byler with Noble Predictive Insights. "A pro-choice side might be favored in a state like Arizona, which has a conservative DNA but not as religious right conservative DNA as other states."

Opponents, however, say the initiative goes too far.

"The proposed constitutional amendment would dramatically change Arizona law. It would repeal common-sense safeguards protecting women and girls from the harm of abortion," said Cathi Herrod with the Center for Arizona Policy.

Advocates for the Arizona For Abortion Access Act need at least 384,000 valid signatures by July 3, 2024 in order to get the measure on the November ballot. The group is aiming to collect about 600,000 signatures.