Abortion is on the ballot again as post-Roe policies continue to evolve
Missouri voters are preparing for a 2026 ballot measure that seeks to overturn abortion protections established in 2024. This reflects a broader national trend of state-level referenda following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn federal abortion rights.
Why it matters
The ongoing cycle of ballot measures highlights the volatility of reproductive rights policy in the US and the deep political divide over state-level constitutional protections.
MAPLEWOOD, Mo. — After Missouri voters added abortion protections to the state constitution in 2024, Kelly McCoomb decided to keep her yard sign supporting the measure in the basement of her suburban St. Louis home.
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Abortion access is important to McCoomb. She wants her daughter to grow up in a state where the option is available if needed, and the sign was a keepsake from the day Missourians voted to reverse the state's near-total ban.
McCoomb also couldn't shake the feeling that she'd need to display the sign in her yard again soon.
"I have little faith in our Missouri government," McCoomb said, sitting on her front porch.
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