BOISE, Idaho – An Idaho reproductive rights group filed a draft petition Friday that would put abortion rights on the ballot in 2026.
Idahoans United for Women and Families announced that four draft petitions have been filed, which await review If approved, the initiative would be placed before voters in 2026.
The draft petitions come in the midst of a national backlash against abortion restrictions in Republican states, with organizers working to put abortion rights on the ballot in at least 11 states this year.
Democrats have focused on reproductive rights nationally as Republicans struggle to achieve consistent messaging on the issue.
Former President Donald Trump but has encountered resistance from evangelical Christians
Idahoans United, which is led by a team including a Methodist pastor, a Catholic mother and grandmother, a certified nurse and an insurance agent, expects that the initiative will face resistance before it hits the ballot.
“The clock is ticking. We expect a single final petition will be ready for signature gathering by December, and we’re anticipating and planning for costly legal battles ahead,” the organization said via social media.
as is helping a minor travel across a state line to obtain an abortion.
The current abortion criminalization framework has been criticized by a cohort of advocates and mothers who argue that the law violates the US Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, The US Supreme Court sent the issue back to a lower federal appeals court in late June.
Idahoans United asked for help from the public and looked forward to the future of the initiatives.
“Your help is crucial as we finalize our petition and plan our next steps,” the organization said.
