Seven U.S. states have approved measures to protect or expand the right to abortion, but attempts to restore protections for the procedure have failed in Florida, South Dakota and Nebraska.

The mixed results came as the Republican Party made considerable gains in elections across the United States, propelling Donald Trump to a decisive victory.

Voters were asked to weigh in on issues regarding access to abortion in 10 states in this election – the first major presidential election since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a national right to the procedure there two years ago.

The state-level fights were an attempt by abortion rights activists to regain or preserve access to the practice, after many states banned or imposed restrictions on abortion following the ruling.

Democrats also hoped the issue would help galvanize voters to their side in this election, crediting anger over the issue with helping the party perform better than expected in the midterm elections. in 2022.

Vice President Kamala Harris has addressed the issue throughout her campaign, appealing to women across party lines.

But that dynamic hasn’t played out consistently this year, as exit polls suggest abortion is ranked below issues like the economy and democracy.

In Missouri, which decisively supported Donald Trump, abortion rights activists still scored a major victory, as voters approved an amendment to overturn the state’s near-total ban on abortion. State.

In Arizona, another state won by Trump, more than 60% of voters supported an amendment to protect the right to abortion until it is viable, about 24 weeks. The measure extends access to the 15 weeks currently allowed under state rules.

But a similar proposal in Florida fell short of the 60% support threshold needed to pass, garnering only 57% support.

The defeat will leave in place the strict law passed by the state earlier this year, banning abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy, with few exceptions.

The measure faced strong opposition from Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who used state resources to persuade voters to vote “no”.

It also became a political headache for Trump, who initially appeared to support the change, but later said he would vote against after reprisals within his own party.

Betsy Linkhorst, a first-time voter in Florida, said the result in her state left her “heartbroken, scared and frankly worried about the future.”

“This was a very important opportunity to protect women’s rights and our ability to make decisions about our own bodies,” the 18-year-old said.

Maria McNally, who voted against the amendment, said she believed it would have allowed abortions too late in pregnancy.

“I’m glad it failed,” she said.

In the United States, voters facing questions about abortion on this year’s ballot came from states with a wide range of different laws regarding abortion.

The issues they had to decide also varied, although most initiatives proposed establishing a state right to abortion until fetal viability, around the 24th week of pregnancy.

In previous election cycles, campaigns to restore or protect abortion access using state-level ballot propositions had found success, including in reliably conservative states like Kansas.

But the results of this election largely cemented the reality that American women have very different access to abortion depending on where they live.

Voters in Nebraska and South Dakota rejected measures that would have expanded access, while in Maryland and Colorado, where abortion is currently legal, voters approved measures to enshrine the right to abortion. procedure in state constitutions.

In Colorado’s case, the amendment will also expand access, allowing abortion to be covered by government health insurance plans.

In Montana and Nevada, where abortion is currently legal until it becomes viable, voters approved measures to codify the right in the constitution.

In Nevada, a majority of voters will have to approve the measure again in two years for the amendment to pass.

New York, where abortion is legal until viable, approved an amendment banning discrimination related to pregnancy or reproductive health.

In Nebraska, voters faced two competing abortion initiatives. They rejected one that would have made abortion a right until it became viable and approved the state’s current rules, which prohibit abortion after the 12th week of pregnancy, with some exceptions, including incest, rape and saving the mother’s life.