Abortion rights were one of the major issues for both the Democratic Party as well as the Republican Party ahead of the United States midterm elections 2022. The overturning of the historic Roe v Wade judgement by the US supreme court resulted in a major split of opinion among the voters and four states had related regulation on the ballot on Wednesday. Michigan, California, Vermont and Kentucky had their say on the topic and the results were a ray of hope for abortion rights activists.
Also read | US midterms LIVE | No Republican ‘red wave’, Democrats do better than expected
The Proposition 1 in California aimed at making abortion legal in a direct contradiction to the supreme court’s order and the majorly Democratic state voted overwhelmingly in favour. The state has long been considered as a place of choice for people seeking reproductive care and according to the re-elected governor Gavin Newsom, the poll results reaffirmed its existent status.
A similar poll in Michigan was aimed at confirming constitutional grounds for abortion in the state and to stop the implementation of an abortion ban that dated back to 1931. Proposal 3 was the first of its kind as it challenged an existing precedent, and the result was welcomed by various groups.
WATCH | Democrats block the ‘red wave’; US awaits verdict on midterm elections
Much like Michigan, Vermont also officially added abortion rights to the state constitution thanks to a positive result in the polls. Proposal 5 seemed destined to pass without any problem as it was backed by Republican governor Phil Scott and all other major lawmakers of the state.
However, the surprising result came in Kentucky – a state notorious for its hard stance on abortion and one which tried to pass a law which completely outlawed the procedure. The state voted completely against denying any constitutional protections for abortion but considering the flash laws passed in the past, the access to abortion remains extremely difficult in the southern state.
