Missouri abortion rights advocates look for the strongest amendment that voters would back

A poll last year showed that about 48% of Missourians support a constitutional amendment wiping out the state's existing abortion ban. Now abortion rights supporters are focused on convincing voters to pass one — and debating what language to use in their campaign.
The fight over the Missouri abortion ban begins with language.

Eager to once again legalize the procedure in the state after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year made way for the General Assembly to ban it, abortion-rights supporters have been floating 11 versions of a petition to ask voters for a change in November 2024.

They submitted those would-be changes to the state constitution to Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft to sort out what sort of summary could actually show up on ballots.

Ashcroft, a Republican abortion opponent and 2024 candidate for governor, crafted ballot language that supporters found misleading and designed to sink petitions in a public vote. His office’s summaries seemed to invite a challenge that would delay for months any group’s ability to circulate petitions.

The physician who filed the petitions has sued Ashcroft and will face off with his office at a court hearing on Sept. 11.

Meanwhile, abortion-rights groups fight over language themselves while they look for the strongest changes they can make and still convince a majority of Missouri voters to cast “yes” ballots.