In a significant development for reproductive rights, voters in Arizona and Missouri will have the opportunity to enshrine access to abortion in their respective state constitutions this November. This comes after petitions garnered a substantial number of signatures, surpassing the legal requirements in both states.

In Arizona, the proposed amendment aims to codify a "fundamental right" for individuals to receive abortion care up until fetal viability, which is typically around the 24th week of pregnancy. Exceptions would be made for circumstances where the mother's life or physical or mental health is at risk. Opponents of this initiative argue that it may lead to unregulated abortions within the state, potentially prompting legal challenges to prevent its inclusion on the ballot.

Missouri's proposed amendment seeks to reverse the state's near-total ban on abortions, a measure implemented following the Supreme Court's decision to remove constitutional rights to abortion. This initiative has gained significant momentum, reflecting a broader trend across several states where voters have engaged with ballot initiatives related to abortion access since the landmark Roe v Wade ruling was overturned in 2022.

In California, Michigan, Vermont, and Ohio, residents have overwhelmingly voted in favor of protecting abortion rights. Similarly, Kansas and Kentucky voters have rejected referendums aimed at stripping away abortion rights. These results suggest a strong public support for preserving reproductive freedoms.

In Arizona, the Secretary of State's office has validated 577,971 signatures, surpassing the 383,923 required for inclusion on the ballot. This represents a record-breaking number of signatures for a citizen-led initiative in the state's history. The campaign, led by Arizona for Abortion Access - a coalition comprising organizations like the ACLU of Arizona and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona - has been instrumental in rallying support for this initiative.

Currently, abortions in Arizona are legal up until the 15th week of pregnancy, with exceptions made for cases where the mother's life is at risk but not for instances of rape or incest. However, a contentious debate has unfolded over an 1864 Arizona law that bans nearly all abortions in the state. The law, which carries penalties of two to five years in prison for performing an abortion unless the mother's life is at risk, was reinstated earlier this year by Arizona's Supreme Court. The state's legislature has since repealed this Civil War-era ban.

Across the country, 13 US states have implemented trigger laws banning abortions following the Supreme Court's decision to end constitutional protection for this procedure. Missouri is among these states, with a 2019 law prohibiting abortions except in cases of medical emergency, carrying penalties of five to 15 years in prison for those who perform or induce an abortion.

In addition to Arizona and Missouri, voters in Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, New York, and South Dakota will also weigh in on abortion rights this November. As these ballot initiatives unfold, they will serve as a significant test of public sentiment regarding reproductive rights in various regions of the United States.