[US Midterm Elections] California and Two Other States Guarantee Abortion Rights in State Constitutions

[Photo by AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The states of California, Michigan, and Vermont in the United States have decided to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitutions with overwhelming support from residents. On the 8th (local time), these three states held referendums alongside the midterm elections to guarantee women's abortion rights, and the measures were passed.

According to The New York Times (NYT) and The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), a total of five states held referendums on abortion during this election.

In Michigan, with 79% of the votes counted as of the morning of the 9th, 56% supported the state constitutional amendment, and California, which had counted about one-third of the votes, also confirmed early passage with 68% approval. In Vermont, with vote counting nearly complete, a remarkable 77% supported the state constitutional amendment.

In Kentucky, which has a strong Republican support base, a constitutional amendment to remove abortion rights was put to a referendum, but with 86% of the votes counted, a majority of 53% of voters rejected it, defeating the measure.

In California and Michigan, where abortion is legal, the referendum results slightly strengthened the existing level of abortion rights protection, but the rejection of the anti-abortion amendment in Kentucky, where abortion is illegal, is significant.

Notably, the NYT reported that these referendum results came just one week before the Kentucky Supreme Court began hearings on Kentucky's abortion ban law.

In Montana, where abortion is legal, a constitutional amendment allowing for the possibility of criminal prosecution of medical institutions assisting abortions was also put to a referendum, but no conclusion has been reached yet.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 'Roe v. Wade' decision at the end of June, procedures to directly ask residents for their opinions on abortion rights have been progressing in various states.