Florida’s Supreme Court has paved the way for a six-week abortion ban to go into effect in May. At the same time, the court has approved a November referendum on the issue.
It will be a long seven months between May and November for thousands of Floridians impacted by the ban. The decision will force them to travel out of state to obtain an abortion. It will put medical care even further out of reach for millions across the South.
But in November, Florida voters will rebuke its Supreme Court in record numbers. I’m sure of it, here’s why.
Don’t mess with our right to choose if you’re about to face a major election. The math on this is simple. I lead legislative advocacy at IGNITE, an organization for Gen Z women’s political power. Our community members are coming together this week to continue advocating for abortion access and the Women’s Health Protection Act. And they are furious.
The abortion referendum will have significant ramifications for voter turnout. Our research shows that 65 percent of Gen Z members identifying as women place abortion as a top-five voter turnout issue. They’ve been making their voices heard at the ballot box, and they’re a powerful voting bloc.
Gen Z and Millennials are now the largest voting bloc in the country, and we refuse to have judges and politicians controlling our bodies and future. From the Supreme Court in Alabama outlawing IVF in February to the highest court in the land overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, attempts to control our bodies have proven to be political suicide. Those who reject abortion rights are paying dearly at the ballot box.
Across America, seven states have voted to defend abortion thus far.
When Ohio held its abortion referendum in November, voters surged to the polls. Close to 700,000 Ohioans voted early, in person or by mail, and they upheld abortion rights by 56 percent. That’s a decisive vote.
In August 2022, Kansas rejected an anti-abortion amendment to the state constitution and in November, a swath of Roe-related election results came in during the midterms. Kentucky rejected amending the state constitution on anti-abortion grounds and Montanans shut down another anti-abortion measure.
Last April, Wisconsin voters turned out in huge numbers to appoint State Supreme Court Judge Janet Protasiewicz, who was outspoken about protecting abortion on the campaign trail. This year, more than a dozen more states are poised to see abortion on the ballot.
Florida’s court decision paves the way for a law that takes away the fundamental right to bodily autonomy. It also threatens physicians with jail time for providing medical care. Despite Florida’s current 15-week ban, many from states with harsher laws who are seeking abortions travel there for treatment.
Further restricting abortion on May 1 by outlawing abortion at six weeks — when many women might not even be aware of their pregnancy — will have serious ramifications for all whose lives and futures hang in the hands of the government.
But that will change in November. In November, legislators will witness our power at the ballot box in overwhelming numbers.
Jocelyn Yow is the legislative advocacy director at IGNITE.