[[link removed]] Ms. Memo: Women's Rights on the Ballot
October 16, 2024
The polls show it: women's votes will be a decisive factor in the 2024 elections. With so much at stake—and with abortion and women’s rights on the ballot—Ms. is here to deliver the latest need-to-know elections news for feminists, every Wednesday.
State Supreme Court Races Will Determine Abortion Access in Several States [[link removed]]
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Attendees at an event for Justice Allison Riggs on June 17, 2024. Riggs was appointed to serve on the North Carolina Supreme Court in September of 2023 and is running for a full term in 2024. (Jenny Warburg)
By Malliga Och | Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision gave states the authority to decide whether women can access legal abortions, state supreme courts are emerging as vital arenas in the battle over bodily autonomy.
The high courts in Florida, South Carolina, Georgia and Iowa upheld six-week abortion bans. The Texas Supreme Court denied an abortion to a woman whose fetus had a fatal condition. Alabama ruled that embryos are children, briefly halting in vitro fertilization in the state.
In a hopeful turn, 2023 saw the Wisconsin Supreme Court shift to a 4-3 majority poised to protect abortion rights after Justice Janet Protasiewicz won her race by highlighting her pro-abortion stance.
According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, 30 states have heard cases challenging abortion restrictions. The supreme courts in 11 states have recognized abortion rights under their state constitutions; five courts have come to the opposite conclusion.
Beyond the constitutionality of abortion bans, state supreme courts also decide how to interpret the medical exceptions within these laws. According to Alexander Wilson, a staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, the organization has been working hard to get clarification from courts about the exceptions.
Without proper clarification, “people’s lives are at risk because [doctors] are left to choose between facing significant penalties or providing care,” Wilson said.
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Hurricanes and Voter Purges Leave Voters High and Dry [[link removed]] Harness the Power of Your Vote: A Young Voter’s Guide for 2024 [[link removed]]
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Making Calls and Knocking on Doors [[link removed]] Republicans in House Races Are Moderating Their Words on Abortion—But Not Always Their Policies [[link removed]]
What we're reading:
Because it's hard to keep up with everything going on in the world right now. Here's what we're reading this week:
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"I
Barely
Escaped
My
Abusive
Marriage.
If
JD
Vance
Had
His
Way,
I'd
Still
Be
Trapped
There.”
—
Huffpost
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[link removed] [[link removed]] Tune in for a new episode of Ms. magazine's podcast, On the Issues with Michele Goodwin on
Apple Podcasts [[link removed]] + Spotify [[link removed]] .
On this week’s episode, we’re thinking about the return to school and Congress with Michigan Rep. Hilary Scholten. As we return to both, many things are top of mind: issues like gun safety, policies that benefit mothers and families, and much more are all things that matter at home, in schools, and in Congress. These are also major issues this election season. How can we ensure that our children and families aren’t just safe—but can thrive?
We hope you'll listen, subscribe, rate and review today!
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