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# Ballot measure secures right to abortion (Kansas USA)
# Update September 2022, The importance of effective citizen led direct democracy to counter and correct a "maverick" central authority ...
Kansas USA, August 2022
Ballot measure secures right to abortion
What happened ?
With a law-making ballot the people of Kansas voted with a large majority to protect the right to choose abortion.
Background
The woman's right to abortion was weakened by a recent decision of the federal supreme court ("SCOTUS"). This court in effect gave power to decide about citizens' "right to choose" to individual states. Some right wing states have moved rapidly to use this power and have made abortion difficult or near-impossible, others may follow. In Kansas a proposal to weaken the right to choose abortion was passed with two thirds majority in both houses of their parliament. A constitutional amendment was required here so the proposal had to be put before the electorate for final decision in a "ballot measure".
Further information
Kansas: Rejected Ballot Measure
No State Constitutional Right to Abortion and Legislative Power to Regulate Abortion Amendment (August 2022) https://ballotpedia.org/Kansas_No_State_Constitutional_Right_to_Abortion_and_Legislative_Power_to_Regulate_Abortion_Amendment_(August_2022)
Key Words or Tags: direct democracy, ballot initiative, ballot measure, citizens initiative, plebiscite, referendum, constitution, amendment
UPDATE, 13 SEPTEMBER 2022
The importance of effective citizen led direct democracy to counter and correct a "maverick" central authority, in this case a supreme court of the United States which appears to actively support some ideas of ex-president Trump and his "make America great" movement.
Information from article:
Michigan Freedom for Reproductive Rights Campaign and the power of the Citizens Initiative
International Democracy Community
Extracts from this online International Democracy article are quoted below (available in french, german and english versions)
<quote>
The Michigan Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative https://mireproductivefreedom.org/ made history by turning in a record-breaking number of signatures to enshrine abortion rights in the Michigan Constitution. According to the Michigan Constitution, enacting a state constitutional amendment via initiative is possible if 10% of the total number of voters in the last gubernatorial elections sign the petition, meaning a total of 425,059 valid signatures were needed for the initiative to qualify for the November 2022 ballot. Michigan citizens responded by nearly doubling that number, with a total of 753,759 signatures ultimately being counted as valid. This work was galvanised through the tireless action of activists as well as over 2,000 volunteers who helped with signature collection and promotion.
.....Michigan is one of several such examples of citizen-initiated measures, with California, Kentucky, Montana, and Vermont already having the issue as part of their upcoming ballots, and ongoing campaigns collecting signatures for a ballot initiative taking place in Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, Iowa, Nevada, and South Dakota. While Michigan is undoubtedly one of the most successful citizen initiatives concerning abortion rights, it is not the allot. Kansas, a largely conservative state, recently voted on a state-initiated ballot measure which would allow lawmakers to ban abortion in the state. Kansas citizens overwhelmingly voted ́no ́, thus denying their elected leaders the chance to revoke abortion and abortion-related healthcare.
.....Instruments such as the obligatory referendum in Kansas or the citizen-initiated referendum in Michigan are some of the strongest indicators that American citizens can make use of democratic tools outside of federal or local elections to influence politics in meaningful ways.
<unquote>
END UPDATE, 13 SEPTEMBER 2022