The Potential Of a Ballot Amendment to Protect Abortion in Florida

by | June 25, 2022

Some folks are asking about a ballot amendment in Florida to protect abortion access. For me, we should consider all options and directions — but in the immediate we must focus on supporting abortion funds and defeating DeSantis this November.

We take down DeSantis, we protect abortion.

Right now to get something on the ballot by 2024 (the deadlines for 2022 have passed) would require at least 891,589 signatures, and assuming the ballot language is approved by the State Supreme Court, would require 60%+ to pass.

The Florida Legislature, Governor, & big business community have been trying to make this process harder by attempting to limit how much money can be donated to ballot amendment campaigns and trying to change the threshold from 60% to 66%. If you’re wondering why big business cares, it’s because they opposed the $15 minimum wage and hate how citizens have used the ballot amendment process to circumvent the legislature.

These are the same corporations who have funded anti-abortion candidates. See below. 

So we should [and must] look at all options to protect and expand abortion rights in Florida and nation wide. Just remember: if we can secure at least 50.1% of the vote this November for a Democratic Governor, then we can take down DeSantis, potentially ending his Presidential ambitions and protect abortion access in Florida. None of this easy. But it’s absolutely necessary.

Finally, a quick reminder (in case folks don’t know) that FL does have Right to Privacy in our state constitution. See below. This was added by voters back in the 80s, and anti-abortion ppl tried to water it down in 2012 (and 2018) and FAILED.

Floridians care about privacy and abortion access. I have no doubt with the right resources, we could secure abortion rights via Constitutional Ballot Amendment too.