Kansans Vote No, Set Stage for November Elections

Voters in the Midwest state rejected an amendment Tuesday that would have removed abortion as a constitutional right and allowed state legislators to regulate it. 

Of the more than 900,000 voters who turned out, 59% voted “No” on the Value Them Both Amendment, Politico reported. The proposed amendment sought to overturn a 2019 state supreme court ruling that gave women the right to determine whether or not to end a pregnancy. Abortion advocates across the nation praised Kansas for its preservation of abortion as a constitutional right, with President Biden likewise hailing Kansas’s rejection as a win. The president suggested Tuesday’s vote is reflective of Americans’ sentiment on abortion, calling on Congress once again to codify abortion into national law. (RELATED: Battleground for Abortion: This State’s Ballot Measure Will Determine Its Future as the Midwest’s ‘Abortion Factory’)

Tuesday’s vote came as a surprise to some, as a majority of Kansas twice voted for candidate Donald Trump, in both the 2016 and 2020 elections. Pro-life advocates vow that the fight is not over. A statement released by the Value Them Both coalition described the results as a “temporary setback” and called on Kansans to step up their support for pregnancy resource centers, post-abortive ministries and other organizations providing supportive care. Surrounding states, such as Missouri, passed trigger laws following Roe v. Wade’s reversal that effectively banned abortion with exceptions for rape, incest and contexts where the mother’s life is in danger.

The group also cited “an onslaught of misinformation” spread by “radical left organizations” that poured millions of out-of-state funds on information campaigns in Kansas. Value Them Both and its supporters reportedly sourced the bulk of their funding from in-state donors, according to Federalist reporter Margot Cleveland. In contrast, 71% of donations procured by the anti-amendment campaign came from out-of-state pockets, suggesting heavy influence from outside special interests.

Kansas is just the first of five states to put a vote on abortion to its residents, however. This year marks the highest number of abortion-related measures appearing on ballots since 1986, according to Ballotpedia. 

A proposed amendment to Kentucky’s state constitution would allow for the protection of human life and prevent state courts from ruling abortion as a “right” for Kentuckians. California voters likewise will decide whether or not to codify abortion into their state constitution in November. A “yes” vote on Montana’s measure would deem infants born alive at any stage as “legal persons” and require the administration of medical aid to babies born alive in birth, c-section, abortion or other methods. Vermont’s Proposal 5 would conversely add language to the state constitution, “protecting the right to personal reproductive autonomy” and unfettered access to abortions.

Kansas, meanwhile, is viewed as a “bellwether” of national sentiment in response to the historic overturn of Roe v. Wade. Both messaging and voter turnout are likely to be key factors in the outcomes of this November’s ballot measures. Democrats will seek to ride the momentum from Tuesday’s vote to garner wins for the midterms. Republicans and pro-life activists alike need to step up efforts to combat pro-abortion measures and messaging in the lead-up to November’s elections.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

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