(NewsNation) — Missouri voters have approved a measure to undo the state’s abortion ban through a constitutional amendment.
Missouri Amendment 3 was one of nearly a dozen abortion-rights measures that appeared on ballots across the country this November.
The citizen-led measure asked voters to amend the Missouri constitution to create a right to abortion until fetal viability, with the exception when a health care professional determines it’s necessary to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.
The point of fetal viability is typically around 24 weeks, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
In Missouri, abortion is nearly completely banned, with exceptions for medical emergencies, making the state one of the most strict in the country.
Getting Amendment 3 on the ballot was an uphill battle for months. Anti-abortion groups challenged it in court, arguing the initiative petition “misled voters” by not listing all the laws restricting abortion that it would effectively repeal.
The Missouri Supreme Court rejected the argument and ordered the measure be on the ballot.
“This Missouri Supreme Court turned a blind eye and ruled Missourians don’t have to be fully informed about the laws their votes may overturn before signing initiative petitions,” Mary Catherine Martin, a lawyer for an anti-abortion group, said in a statement after the court’s decision.
Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the campaign backing the measure, applauded the decision, saying citizens should have the power to decide on abortion.
“Missourians overwhelmingly support reproductive rights, including access to abortion, birth control, and miscarriage care,” campaign manager Rachel Sweet said in a statement.
Supporters of the amendment in Missouri drew in millions of more dollars than opponents, according to the Associated Press.
Abortion-rights ballot measure supporters across the country raised nearly eight times as much money as groups campaigning against the amendments on ballots across the country.
A record number of abortion measures appeared on ballots in 10 states this year.
Abortion is a polarizing issue that was expected to draw people to the polls, potentially impacting the presidential race in swing states, control of Congress and the outcomes of closely contested state offices.
Missouri Democrats hoped to get a boost from abortion-rights supporters during the November election.
Abortion was a central issue that drove people to vote in the 2022 midterm elections, according to research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In polling leading up to Election Day, abortion had surpassed inflation to be the top issue in the presidential election for young women.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
