‘Such Small Steps.’ States Without Citizen-Led Ballot Initiatives Leave Abortion-Rights Advocates With Little Recourse

The majority of the state ballot measures meant to protect abortion access this year passed, and most of them were citizen-led initiatives, meaning organizers petitioned to get the measures on the ballot. Those types of measures give everyday Americans agency to fight for abortion rights now that the issue has been left to the states. But not all states allow citizens to put forward statewide ballot initiatives, including some with the strictest abortion laws in the country, leaving reproductive-rights advocates there with little recourse.