Voters to Decide on Abortion Measures in Four States

Why it matters locally: While South Dakota is not one of the four states with abortion measures on the ballot this November, the ongoing national discussion and varying state-level outcomes following the *Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization* decision directly influence the legal landscape and future potential policy discussions surrounding abortion access within South Dakota.

Four states will present abortion-related ballot measures to voters in November. These initiatives follow the Supreme Court's 2022 decision in *Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization*. That ruling concluded that the U.S. Constitution does not confer a right to abortion, returning the authority to regulate abortion to individual states. In Missouri, a proposed amendment addresses abortion protections within the state constitution. Kelly McCoomb, a resident of Maplewood, Missouri, displayed a yard sign in 2024 supporting a 'yes' vote on Amendment 3, an initiative to add abortion protections. For the 2026 election, her altered sign indicates a 'no' vote on Amendment 3 would be necessary to maintain those protections, reflecting changes in the proposed language of the amendment over time. The ballot measures vary by state. Voters will consider proposals that range from codifying abortion access to implementing restrictions.