Florida voters decided against an abortion-rights amendment Tuesday, leaving in place a six-week abortion ban.
The measure, which, due to Florida's uniquely high bar for ballot initiatives, required a 60% supermajority to pass. Florida was one of 10 states voting on abortion-related ballot measures on Election Day. The others need just a simple majority to pass.
Florida's amendment would have enshrined abortion into Florida's constitution up to about 24 weeks, and would have prevented the state from passing laws to "prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion" until that point.
The defeat marks a significant win for Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose administration actively campaigned against the measure, using various resources to sway voters.
Attorney General Ashley Moody challenged the initiatives language in court, a Republican-led panel added warnings about potential legal costs, and public agencies aired ads opposing it. State officials also launched a website criticizing the amendment.
In an unusual move, Florida's election police investigated the measure's signature-gathering for months after its certification.
Pro-abortion advocates spent nearly $100 million on the campaign, aiming to restore more extensive protections after similar initiatives succeeded after the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Despite setbacks, supporters had hoped to counter the state's current six-week limit.
Kate McManus ✉
Kate McManus is a New Jersey-based Newsmax writer who's spent more than two decades as a journalist.
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