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    • Florida Abortion Amendment 4 Results: DeSantis Declares Victory
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    Florida Abortion Amendment 4 Results: DeSantis Declares Victory

    Umito Posted on

    Amendment 4 would have reinstated the authorization of abortion in Florida until “fetal viability,” generally around 24 weeks.

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    The ballot measure that would have enshrined abortion in the state constitution failed to reach the 60% threshold for passage, even though a clear majority of voting Floridians — more than 6 million of them — supported the constitutional amendment.

    That means the state’s current ban — called the “Heartbeat Protection Act,” which bans most abortions after six weeks after conception — remains in effect.

    Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who harnessed the power of state government and millions of taxpayer dollars to try to condemn Amendment 4, posted about its failure on social media on Tuesday, minutes after voting ended in Northwest Florida.

    “With polls now closed in Florida, Amendment 3 has failed. Amendment 4 has failed,” DeSantis wrote on X shortly after 8 p.m.

    Amendment 4 received approximately 57% approval, according to the Florida Department of State’s election results pageand would have reinstated the authorization of abortion in Florida until “fetal viability,” usually around 24 weeks, was passed.

    LIVE ELECTION RESULTS: SEE THE LATEST RESULTS FROM LOCAL, USA AND NATIONAL RACES

    Fifty-seven percent approval was enough for abortion rights advocates to call on the state legislature to pay attention to the results and repeal the six-week abortion ban.

    The ACLU called the vote’s failure a “temporary loss.”

    “We will not give up or walk away. The lives of women and girls across Florida depend on continuing this work,” Bacardi Jackson, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, said in a statement.

    The Yes on 4 campaign also said the law requires immediate action by the Legislature.

    “While Amendment 4 fell just below 60%, a clear majority of voters called on lawmakers to repeal the extreme abortion ban,” the Yes for 4 campaign wrote in a post on Facebook.

    After a highly contentious and costly battle in the courts and in the state legislature, defeating Amendment 4 was one of DeSantis’ top priorities this election season.

    Florida Doctors Against Amendment 4 called Amendment 4’s defeat a “victory for women” in a press release.

    “…we could not stand idly by and allow our patients to be subjected to such an extreme and dangerous proposition. Now we doctors can remain true to our Hippocratic Oath to do no harm to our patients ” said Dr. Christina Peña, an OB-GYN practicing in Miami with the advocacy group.

    Weeks before the general election, DeSantis held a series of press conferences, campaigning against Amendment 4 and attacking the ballot measure’s sponsors.

    National Right to Life called DeSantis a “pro-life champion” in a statement.

    “Florida Governor Ron DeSantis deserves special recognition for taking the abortion industry head on,” said Caro Tobias, president of the anti-abortion organization.

    DeSantis and opponents of Amendment 4 argued that the authors of the ballot measure are “lying” to Floridians, and the words used, like “health care provider” and “viability,” leave too much room for “outsiders” and unqualified practitioners to come to Florida and perform dangerous procedures.

    But the terms they question are defined in state law. “Viability” is defined as “the stage of fetal development during which fetal life is sustained outside the uterus by standard medical measures.” A “healthcare provider» must be approved by the State.

    Abortion rights advocates say the six-week ban might as well be an outright ban because many women don’t know they are pregnant at six weeks.

    Exceptions to current abortion law include “fatal fetal abnormalities,” rape, incest, and human trafficking. Although the state has clarified that most of these exceptions have a 15-week time limit, state health agencies do not specify whether this applies to “fatal fetal anomalies.”

    In a press release, the Center for Reproductive Rights said the southeastern United States is now “a virtual abortion desert.”

    “Like many Americans, Floridians are living under an abortion ban that they did not ask for and do not want,” said Nancy Northup, president and CEO. “As the majority of Florida voters made clear tonight, they want their reproductive freedom back. But because of the state’s high 60% threshold and misinformation campaign, they must continue to live with the fear, uncertainty and denial of care caused by the reversal of Roe.

    Ana Goñi-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network – Florida, can be reached at [email protected].

    Umito
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