With the passage of Amendment 79 in November 2024, Colorado voters enshrined the right to abortion in the state constitution. The amendment solidifies the state's status as one of the most liberal in the country on the issue. Since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling, Coloradans have voted on 10 abortion ballot measures ' nearly one-sixth of all of the abortion-related ballot measures across the country. Despite public opinion consistently showing that Coloradans support abortion rights, eight of the 10 measures have sought to restrict access. However, Colorado voters were not the first to have an abortion measure on the ballot. Voters in Washington, Michigan and North Dakota all voted on ballot measures in the 1970s to expand access to abortion. Only Washington passed the measure. As part of my research examining how interest groups influence public policy, I have been tracking the activity of anti-abortion organizations, including the use of ballot measures. To understand...
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