Julianna Goldman, Columnist

Where Abortion Will Be on the Ballot in 2024

Democrats are working to put referendum questions about reproductive rights before voters in several states.

November 27, 2022 at 1:00 PM UTC

Julianna Goldman is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist who was formerly a Washington-based correspondent for CBS News and White House correspondent for Bloomberg News and Bloomberg Television.

TOPSHOT - Thousands of demonstrators march in support of Planned Parenthood and pro-choice as they protest a state decision that would effectively halt abortions by revoking the license of the last center in the state that performs the procedure, during a rally in St. Louis, Missouri, May 30, 2019. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)Photographer: SAUL LOEB/AFP

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The abortion-rights issue was a political lifesaver for Democrats this year. Whether it will be again in 2024 depends in part on efforts to put the question of reproductive rights on the ballot — not just through the candidates’ positions, but literally.

The issue helped to fend off a red wave by both motivating the base and persuading undecided voters. Restrictive abortion laws are out of touch with public opinion, which was made resoundingly clear the six out of six times voters were asked about the issue in Vermont, California, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana and Kansas. Now abortion activists are asking which other states are ripe for initiatives to protect reproductive rights.