Abortion rights activists in Nevada are trying to put abortion on the ballot, a move that could have a huge effect on voter turnout in the swing state.
A coalition of advocate groups filed a petition on Thursday to add a question to the 2024 ballot about codifying abortion into the Silver State’s constitution.
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Under current Nevada law, abortion is protected until 24 weeks of pregnancy. Under the proposed constitutional amendment, state legislators would not be able to restrict abortions before fetal viability, as determined by a physician.
After the 23rd week of pregnancy, a baby born prematurely can survive with intensive care.
The effort led by abortion advocates, including Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice Nevada, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, will require 103,000 signatures from registered voters by June 26.
If the groups collect the requisite signatures, the question of abortion being codified in the state constitution will be put on the 2024 election ballot — and if that passes in November 2024, then it will appear one more time on the 2026 ballot as amendments “must be passed by voters in two successive general elections before it can be added to the Nevada Constitution.”
If passed, the proposed amendment would prohibit Nevada from “penaliz[ing], prosecut[ing], or tak[ing] adverse action against any individual based on the outcome of a pregnancy of the individual, or against any licensed health care provider who acts consistent with the applicable scope and practice of providing reproductive health care services to an individual who has granted their voluntary consent.”
“Neither may the State penalize, prosecute, or take adverse action against any individual or entity for aiding or assisting another individual in the exercise of the rights established by this initiative,” the amendment continues.
A copy of the proposed amendment was shared with NBC News.
Putting the topic of abortion on the ballot could boost voter turnout, as was the case in the 2022 midterm elections, as many Democrats considered the overturning of the landmark Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade to be a major motivation to vote last cycle.
Nevada voted for Biden (50.1%) over Trump (47.7%) in 2020, and in 2022, the state reelected all of its incumbent members of Congress, including a Democratic senator, three Democratic representatives, and one Republican representative.
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Republicans and Democrats have been wrestling over their respective abortion agendas nationwide. Florida Democrats are attempting to get a similar abortion measure on the ballot with the hopes of codifying it in the state's constitution.
Ohio saw the controversial Issue 1 vote this year as anti-abortion advocates tried, and failed, to pass language that would have made it more difficult to amend the Ohio constitution ahead of a vote on an amendment to add abortion protections to the state's constitution.