Dear team,

Yesterday, in a historic vote, Kansans rejected an anti-abortion ballot measure that would have eliminated the fundamental right to abortion under the state constitution. This is the first time abortion has been on a ballot since Roe v. Wade was overturned in June.

The rejected amendment would have declared there was no constitutional right to abortion in Kansas and would have given lawmakers the right to pass laws to prohibit abortion.

In 2019, in a case won by the Center for Reproductive Rights, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that the state constitution protects the right to abortion, even more strongly than the U.S. Constitution. Yesterday’s vote reaffirmed this ruling.

This victory in Kansas is a clear reminder that the majority of Americans believe in the fundamental right to bodily autonomy and that abortion is essential.

I wanted you to see my full statement from yesterday on this historic vote below. Thank you for being with us.

— Nancy

Statement from Nancy Northup, President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights:

"Today is an enormous victory for people in Kansas who voted to protect their fundamental right to personal and bodily autonomy. In 2019, the Supreme Court of Kansas recognized that the rights to self-determination and bodily autonomy are deeply rooted in Kansas history and values, and today the Kansas voters resoundingly agreed. Like the strong majority of people across the U.S., Kansans want to make their own decisions about abortion.

Today was the first time that voters have had a chance to have their voices heard on abortion rights since the Dobbs decision. Later this year, California, Michigan, Nevada, and Vermont will vote on measures to protect abortion access, and Kentucky will vote on an anti-abortion measure. This is an important opportunity for voters in those states to directly defend their right to make personal decisions about their own lives, bodies and futures."