Kansas Abortion Amendment Spurs Registrations, Projections of Record Aug. 2 Primary Tally

There’s a pitch battle, one of words and wording, being waged across the rolling woods and river-creased plains of Kansas, with both sides accusing the other of spinning lies to fearmonger for votes in a special election being intensely watched nationwide.

The proposed ‘Value Them Both’ constitutional amendment states it would “reserve to the people of Kansas, through their elected state legislators, the right to pass laws to regulate abortion, including, but not limited to, in circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, or when necessary to save the life of the mother.”

At least four other abortion-related ballot measures will go before voters nationwide in November, including proposed constitutional amendments protecting access to the procedure in Michigan and Vermont.

Restrictive ballot proposals set for Fall votes include a “no right to abortion” proposal in Kentucky and a “Medical Care Requirements for Born-Alive Infants” measure in Montana. A prospective Colorado proposal restricting abortion has until Aug. 8 to collect needed signatures to qualify.

First Referendum on Abortion

Kansans on their Aug. 2 primary ballots will see a special election that asks voters to approve or deny a proposed constitutional amendment that proclaims there is no right to an abortion in the state.

The proposed amendment on Kansas’ Aug. 2 ballot is the nation’s first public referendum on abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court in a 6-3 June 24 decision repealed its 1973 Roe vs. Wade ruling and kicked abortion regulation back to the states.

With Kansas center stage, and more than $13 million has been spent by “Value Them Both” supporters and opponents, polls project a close vote, and election officials say a surge in voter registrations presages a near-certain record primary tally that could, perhaps, rival the state’s near-71 percent 2020 general election turnout.

The Value Them Both Coalition, which