Reports streaming in that the proposition passed by a wide margin.
QUICK FACTS:
- In response to the Supreme Court’s June decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, voters in California voted to codify a “right to abortion” in the state constitution.
- Multiple news agencies reported that the proposition passed by a wide point margin, including the New York Times and NBC News, who announced that Prop 1 was confirmed by 30 points with upwards of 40% of votes counted.
- “Proposition 1 changes the California Constitution to say that the state cannot deny or interfere with a person’s reproductive freedom and that people have the fundamental right to choose,” California’s Legislative Analyst’s office said.
SURPRISING RESULTS:
- Tuesday’s ballot results were surprising to some due to polling data from Rasmussen in October that indicated only around 14% of voters in CA believe abortion should be legal at any time during pregnancy.
- According to a recent poll by Rasmusen and the Capitol Resource Institute, only about 14% of likely California voters believe abortion should be legal at all points of pregnancy.
- Only around 13% think abortion should be legal up to six months gestation and 34% believe abortions should be legal up to three months along.
- Roughly 19% believe that abortion should be legal during the first month of pregnancy only and approximately 15% believe all abortions should be illegal.
BACKGROUND:
- Proposition 1 guarantees unrestricted abortion rights through pregnancy, allowing for abortions through 40 weeks.
- As American Faith previously reported, California Proposition 1 is a ballot measure that would amend the California Constitution to protect abortion right state-wide.
- Pro-life groups have encouraged voters to vote “no” to proposition 1 in order to protect the unborn from the violence of abortion.
- “The California Constitution guarantees everyone the right to privacy but does not define what this right includes,” the proposition’s explanation lays out. “However, the California Supreme Court has found that this right to privacy includes the right to make reproductive choices, such as whether or not to have an abortion or use contraceptives. In addition, state law was later passed to expressly protect these rights.”
