How the election changed abortion access

Post Reports

The Washington Post

Daily News, Politics, News

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🗓️ 12 November 2024

⏱️ 27 minutes

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Summary

When it comes to abortion, the results of last week’s election were decidedly mixed. Abortion protections passed in New York, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and Missouri but failed in Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota. This means that 2 million more women now have access to abortion services across the country.

But with Donald Trump’s second term as president nearing, there are questions about how a Republican-controlled government will approach the issue of abortion, and whether a federal abortion ban could be on the table.

Elahe Izadi speaks to Post reporter Molly Hennessy-Fiske about what abortion access now looks like after the election, and how that could change again when Trump returns to the White House.

Today’s show was produced by Peter Bresnan. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Monica Campbell. Thanks to Susan Levine, Frances Stead Sellers and Maggie Penman. Additional reporting for this episode was provided by Reshma Kerpalani.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	On election night last Tuesday, Deborah Dorbert was at a watch party in Florida, eagerly awaiting
0:08.2	the results on one measure, about abortion.
0:11.9	They said it was going to be close, but everyone, we all felt confident that it was going to
0:16.6	pass.
0:17.7	The watch party was thrown by an advocacy group called Yes on Four. Deborah had been working
0:23.1	with them to pass Amendment 4 in Florida. This would have enshrined a right to abortion in the state
0:28.7	constitution, overturning the state's six-week abortion ban. I was preparing to speak if the law,
0:36.6	if Amendment 4 had passed.
0:38.8	So we were there when the news broke out that it did not pass.
0:47.0	The ballot measure needed 60% of the vote to pass.
0:51.7	It just fell short, getting 57%.
0:54.7	Florida's six-week abortion ban would remain in place,
0:58.5	and it's one of the most restrictive bans in the country.
1:01.8	I mean, me and my husband both broke down that night
1:05.1	after getting that news.
1:08.2	We cried, and it hurt, like, to see the loss still in effect.
1:20.3	This loss and this issue is deeply personal for Deborah and her husband.
1:26.2	Deborah was pregnant with her second child two years ago
1:29.4	when she got terrible news after an ultrasound.
1:33.3	Back in November 22, our son got diagnosed with Potter syndrome,
1:41.8	which is a life-threatening condition that's not compatible with life, and that he would
1:47.7	pass away shortly after birth.
	...

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