As part of the Kansas primary ballot,voters were asked if the state’s constitution should be amended to remove the right to abortion. By 11pm on Tuesday night (US time) most people had overwhelmingly voted against the amendment,preventing Kansas’ Republican-led legislature from passing severe abortion restrictions,and making Kansas one of the few conservative states where abortion remains legal.
President Joe Biden welcomed the result,saying in a tweet:“Tonight,Kansans used their voices to protect women’s right to choose and access reproductive health services.
“It’s an important victory for Kansas,but also for every American who believes that women should be able to make their own health decisions without government interference.”
The decision was the first time voters had a chance to have their voices heard on abortion rights since the Supreme Court overturned Roe V Wade in June,setting the scene for similar ballots in California,Michigan,Nevada and Vermont later this year.
It also came on the same day that the Biden administration’s Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state of Idaho for restricting abortion access to patients who need lifesaving medical treatment - the department’s first such challenge since the Supreme Court’s decision.