Abortion is a hot topic in the November elections on many levels – but particularly on Colorado’s ballot, which features Amendment 79 – a proposed change that would enshrine the state’s protections against abortion in the state constitution. Colorado.

The fate of access to abortion is currently being determined by states following the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, who for decades had established a basic right to abortion, by the United States Supreme Court. Our ongoing Voter Voices survey with other Colorado media outlets shows that abortion is among the top five issues among the thousands of voters who responded, with self-identified liberals particularly concerned about potential restrictions.

Since the Supreme Court’s decision, 13 states – mostly in the southern United States – have either abortions prohibited or if pre-existing trigger bans have come into effect. These are among the 21 states that The New York Times counts as prohibiting the procedure or restricting it earlier in the pregnancy than Roe v. Wade hadn’t authorized it.

Colorado, where abortion services are available at any stage of pregnancyis among 29 states where abortion is largely legal — either by law or because bans have been blocked by the courts — although some states impose restrictions later in pregnancy, the Times says .

Americans support access to abortion, with 63% saying this year it should be legal in all or most cases, according to the Pew Research Center. It’s not a gender issue, either: Men and women tend to support abortion access at about the same level – 61% and 64%, respectively.

Religion forms a dividing line on the subject: 73% of white evangelical Protestants believe that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, while the majority of white non-evangelical Protestants, black Protestants and of Catholics all believe it should be legal in all or most cases. in most cases, Pew reports. The highest level of support for legal abortion was 86% among non-religious people.

Stephanie Lang, a liberal who lives in Denver, was among voters who ranked abortion as their most important issue in her response to the Voter Voices survey.

Lang is at an age where she is considering pregnancy, and she says having access to abortion care means there is a plan in place for her in case of an unexpected medical emergency.

“Before you make this type of decision, there are a lot of unknowns,” she said in an interview.

Lang also argues that protecting abortion access in Colorado would benefit the entire region. “If Colorado has this, it will become a haven for the states around us,” she said.

If abortion is a major concern to you – whatever your opinion on it – this is where your vote has the most impact.

The presidential race

The U.S. president can impact abortion by proposing laws, signing or vetoing bills, and passing administrative regulations. The chief executive also appoints judges and justices who will interpret the laws on the matter. The major party candidates in this year’s presidential election differ significantly on abortion.

Former President Donald Trump, once again the Republican candidate, has had shifting positions in his stance on abortion. As president, he named three of the five Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, and he claimed responsibility for its overturning. He argues that abortion should be an issue left to the states.

“It’s the people’s vote now; it’s not related to the federal government,” Trump said during the presidential debate of September 10. “I did a great service by doing so.”

Asset recently said he would veto a national ban on abortion and said he believed in exceptions, including for rape, incest and life-threatening situations for pregnant women. But he also favors restrictions: in his home state of Florida, he said publicly that he will vote no this fall on a ballot measure that would overturn that state’s six-week abortion ban.

His wife, former first lady Melania Trump, recently announced her support for abortion access. “There is undoubtedly no room for compromise when it comes to that essential right that all women have from birth: individual liberty,” she said in a video from October 3.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, has also pledged to block a federal ban on abortion. And within the framework of its platformshe has pledged to sign any legislation in Congress that restores national protections for abortion access.

“You don’t have to abandon your faith or deep convictions to agree: The government should not tell (a woman) what to do,” Harris said in a podcast interview on October 6.

Harris says the issue also encompasses access to in vitro fertilization treatments, contraception and other methods of reproductive health care.

RJ Sangosti

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THE DENVER POST

Congressional races

Congress, along with the president, has more power in the post-Roe era to enact nationwide protections as well as restrictions on abortion, depending on whether the House and Senate reach an agreement — and that the president sign the resulting legislation. Congress may also decide to maintain, modify or repeal the Hyde amendmentwhich prohibits in most cases the use of federal funds to finance abortions.

Candidates vying to represent Colorado in Congress in the November elections are split along party lines on the issue of abortion, with all Democrats running in the state’s eight congressional districts expressing support for reinstating the access to abortion nationally by adopting legislation. Republicans say they are largely opposed to such legislation, with several saying they would support national action to restrict abortion.

“I am horrified by what is happening to women across the country because of Trump’s abortion bans,” wrote U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Democrat from the 7th Congressional District, in a response to the Denver Post questionnaire. adding, “I co-sponsored legislation to codify access to abortion care in Colorado and am committed to getting it done in Congress.

Several Republicans said states were the only place such decisions could be made.

“The Supreme Court has made decisions on abortion up to the states and it should stay that way,” John Fabbricatore, Republican candidate in the 6th Congressional District, wrote in his response to the Post’s questionnaire.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, for her part, is pushing for a federal law restricting access to abortion. She represents the 3rd District, but is running for office in the 4th District.

“Life begins at conception, and I will always defend life,” Boebert wrote in his response to the Post’s questionnaire. “I fully support pro-life federal legislation that protects the lives of the most vulnerable members of our society.”

Electoral measures

This is where Colorado voters will have the most direct say this year: Amendment 79 would elevate Colorado’s existing protections for abortion access to the state constitution. It would also allow state and local governments to fund abortion services by repealing an amendment passed in 1984 that prohibited the use of public money for that purpose.

This would potentially allow the state to include abortion coverage under Medicaid and government employee health insurance plans, but that would require additional measures.

Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedomled by abortion rights groups, called for the measure to be voted on by the state. Vote no on 79which includes anti-abortion groups like Colorado Right to Life, is leading the opposition campaign.

To pass, the proposal requires the support of 55% of voters since it would amend the constitution. Failure of the measure would mean retaining the 1984 language in the constitution and giving the state legislature the power to make future decisions about abortion.

State legislative races

The state government is currently falling under democratic control in the House, Senate and governor’s office. The House operates with a Democratic supermajority of 46-19, while the Senate is led by a majority of 23-12. In the fall elections, Democrats strive to maintain or expand their majority, while the Republicans hope to reduce it.

If voters pass Amendment 79, state lawmakers will have less ability to change abortion protections in Colorado. If it fails, the legislature would retain its ability to regulate abortion at the state level.

Several Democrats running in the House’s most contentious elections, such as Rep. Stephanie Vigil in District 16 and Rep. Bob Marshall in District 43, are emphasizing their commitment to ensuring access to abortion. But Republican candidates in these districts tend to leave abortion out of their campaign materials, instead prioritizing other issues like crime, immigration and the economy.

In the Senate elections, Democratic candidates, including Cole Buerger in District 5 and Vivian Smotherman in District 6, are also speaking out in favor of protecting abortion access, while their political opponents are more silent on the issue – which, for the moment, appears settled in Colorado. under democratic control.

Local races

Local elected officials have some power to decide whether to dedicate local government funds to abortion services or pass certain local regulations, but almost all action on the issue is happening at the state level this year.