The Status of Abortion-related State Ballot Initiatives Since Dobbs
Last updated on March 27, 2026
Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, overturning Roe v. Wade, voters in 17 states have weighed in on ballot measures regarding abortion– some more than once. In November 2026, voters in Missouri, Nevada, and Virginia will weigh in on abortion measures that could change the legal status of abortion in their state. In addition, measures in Idaho and Nebraska are in the process of collecting signatures.
In 2024, 10 states voted on abortion measures that sought to affirm that the state constitution protects the right to abortion. Nebraska voted on two measures: one seeking to protect abortion and the other seeking to ban abortion after the first trimester. Measures protecting abortion rights succeeded in 7 states — Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, and New York — and failed in 3 — Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Voters passed a measure amending the Nebraska state constitution prohibiting abortions after the first trimester.
Prior to the 2024 election, the side favoring access to abortion prevailed in every state that voted on abortion-related ballot measures. In 2022 and 2023, California, Michigan, Ohio, and Vermont voters passed measures amending the state constitution to protect the right to abortion. Measures seeking to curtail the right to abortion in Kentucky, Kansas, and Montana failed.
There are two ways a measure may be placed on the ballot: through citizen initiative or legislative referral.
- Legislatively-referred measures are introduced and approved by lawmakers before they appear on the ballot for citizens to vote on.
- Citizen-initiated measures are written by citizen groups and are placed on the ballot if they receive enough signatures.
Not all states allow for citizen-initiated ballot measures. For more background information on abortion related ballot initiatives, please see our brief Addressing Abortion Access through State Ballot Initiatives.
For more information on confirmed and potential abortion-related ballot measures in the 2026 election, please see our brief Abortion on the 2026 Ballot: The Evolving Landscape of State Abortion Initiatives.
