abortion ballot

A Look at Which States Have Abortion on the Ballot in 2026

Since 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, one of the primary battlegrounds over abortion policy has been in the states. Both abortion-rights advocates and pro-life organizations have turned to statewide ballot initiatives to advance their policy positions on abortion.

What makes the 2026 landscape particularly interesting is the fact that it is no longer only about abortion activists attempting to expand and entrench abortion policy through state constitutions. For the first time since Dobbs, organized efforts are underway to reverse previous abortion-rights ballot victories.

Abortion Will Be on the Ballot in Three States

Abortion-related constitutional amendments will be on the ballot in three states this fall: Nevada, Missouri and Virginia.

Nevada

Nevada voters will be asked whether they want to amend the state constitution to allow abortions until viability or at any time to preserve the health or life of the mother. The health exception offers a loophole to allow abortions at any time in the pregnancy. 

State law requires the measure be passed by voters in two even-numbered years. The voters already approved it by a margin of 64% to 35%. All that is required for passage is a simple majority. 

Under current state law, Nevada allows abortions until viability and at any time to preserve the health and life of the mother. 

In 2024, the abortion lobby spent over $13 million to pass the amendment, while there was no financial effort to defeat it.

Missouri

This fall, Missouri voters will consider a ballot measure to repeal the abortion amendment that was passed in 2024.

In 2024, voters very narrowly (51% to 48%) approved Amendment 3, which established a constitutional right to abortion until viability or at any time to preserve the health or life of the mother.

Prior to this amendment, state law protected preborn babies from the moment of conception.

Now, pro-life advocates and lawmakers have successfully advanced a new constitutional amendment that would ask voters whether to restore protections for preborn children and put new limits on abortion. 

Interestingly, the measure was referred to the ballot by the Missouri legislature and not only repeals the abortion amendment from 2024 but also bans opposite sex transgender surgeries for minors.

The latest public poll on this measure from February 2026 shows 47% support, 40% oppose and 12% are still undecided. 

The threshold for passage of a constitutional amendment in Missouri is a simple majority vote (50% +1).

In 2024, abortion activists in Missouri reported more than $31 million in campaign contributions, while pro-life advocates reported about $2 million in contributions.

Virginia

This fall, Virginia voters will consider a ballot measure to enshrine abortion in the state constitution. It was referred by the state legislature. 

The amendment would allow abortion until the third trimester or at any time to preserve the health or life of the mother. The health exception offers a loophole to permit abortions at any time in the pregnancy.  

Under current Virginia law, abortion is permitted until the third trimester or at any time to preserve the health or life of the mother.

The latest public poll on this measure from January 2026 shows 66% support, 28% oppose and 6% are still undecided. 

The threshold for passage of a constitutional amendment in Virginia is a simple majority vote (50% +1).

Abortion Could Be on the Ballot in Three Other States

Efforts are still underway in Nebraska, Colorado and Idaho to put abortion-related measures on the ballot, but deadlines are quickly approaching and these citizen-led measures require signatures and verification to make the ballot this fall. 

In Nebraska, there is a pro-life effort to amend the constitution to include that a “preborn child is a person at every stage of development, beginning at fertilization.” Signatures are due July 1, 2026.

In Colorado, there is a pro-life effort to repeal the abortion amendment that was passed in 2024. The measure was cleared for signature gathering on May 1, 2026. Signatures are due August 3, 2026.

And in Idaho, abortion activists are attempting to enshrine abortion into the state constitution making it legal through viability. Signatures were submitted on May 1, 2026, and are currently being verified by the Secretary of State.

Abortion Amendment Background

To date, abortion advocates have secured 14 victories at the ballot box on abortion-related statewide measures. By comparison, the pro-life movement received three notable wins in 2024. 

In Florida and South Dakota, voters rejected proposed constitutional amendments that would have expanded abortion rights. In Nebraska, voters approved a constitutional amendment protecting the state’s existing law limiting most abortions to the first trimester.

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Here’s What You Need to Know About Abortion on the Ballot in 2026

This fall, voters will have a short reprieve from voting on abortion amendments to state constitutions, but several significant abortion-related constitutional amendments are already poised to be decided by voters in November 2026.

Lives are at stake, so it’s important for pro-life believers to begin now to educate others, combat pro-abortion initiatives and fight for pro-life measures.

Nevada and Missouri are confirmed to have abortion initiatives on the ballot that could entirely reshape policy, while Virginia’s potential ballot measure will depend on legislative approval following elections this fall.

Here’s a breakdown of those initiatives.

Nevada

In 2024, Nevada voters approved Question 6 which proposed allowing abortions until viability or at any time to preserve the health or life of the mother. The health exception offered a loophole to permit abortions at any time in the pregnancy. By state law, the measure must be approved by voters in two even-numbered years.

In fall of 2024, the measure passed 64% to 35%. To amend to state constitution, it must now be approved again by a simple majority vote.

Current statutory law in Nevada mirrors the constitutional amendment and allows abortion until viability and at any time to preserve the health and life of the mother.

In the 2024 cycle, abortion activists in Nevada reported more than $13 million in campaign contributions, while pro-life advocates did not report any contributions.

Missouri

Next fall, Missouri voters will consider a ballot measure to repeal the abortion amendment that was passed in 2024.

Amendment 3, the “Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative,” was narrowly approved by voters — 51% to 48%. The initiative allowed abortion until viability or at any time to preserve the health or life of the mother. The health exception offered a loophole to permit abortions at any time in the pregnancy. Prior to the passage of Amendment 3, Missouri statutory law protected preborn babies from the moment of conception.

In April 2025, state legislators referred a new constitutional amendment to the 2026 ballot. If passed by voters, it will repeal the 2024 abortion amendment while also banning opposite-sex hormones and irreversible transgender surgeries on minors.

The proposed amendment language would prohibit abortion while including exceptions in the case of medical emergencies, rape, incest (in the first 12 weeks) and fatal fetal anomalies.

In July, the ACLU filed a lawsuit challenging the ballot language.

The ACLU alleges the ballot summary language is misleading and inaccurate and also violates the single-subject rule which prohibits bundle different subjects under one amendment. Advocates for the measure maintain the language is clear and accurate and point to the fact that Amendment 3 also addressed abortion and “transgender care.” Oral arguments were heard in state court in early September and parties are still waiting on the court’s ruling.

If the proposed ballot measure survives the legal challenges, we are very likely to see a significant amount of money put into the campaign efforts from both sides. In the 2024 cycle, abortion activists in Missouri reported more than $31 million in campaign contributions, while pro-life advocates reported about $2 million in contributions.

Virginia

Abortion activists in the state legislature are trying to put a pro-abortion amendment on the ballot for 2026.

Earlier this year the Virginia General Assembly passed the “Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment.” This amendment would allow abortion until the third trimester or at any time to preserve the health or life of the mother. The health exception offers a loophole to permit abortions at any time in the pregnancy.

According to state law, a legislatively referred amendment must be passed by a simple majority in two successive legislative sessions to be eligible for the ballot. All 100 legislators in the Virginia General Assembly will be up for election this fall. Depending on the outcome of those races, abortion advocates may or may not have enough votes to pass the measure again in the next legislative cycle.

Current statutory law in Virginia allows abortion until the third trimester or at any time to preserve the health or life of the mother.

Other States

Several other states are exploring potential abortion ballot initiatives for 2026, including North Dakota, Oklahoma, Idaho and Oregon.

Since Roe’s reversal in the Dobbs case, there have been 17 abortion-related ballot measures nationwide.

In 2022, Michigan, California and Vermont passed constitutional amendment to secure abortion access, while pro-life measures in Kansas, Kentucky and Montana failed.

Then in 2023, Ohio passed an amendment to enshrine abortion in its state constitution.

Last fall, seven more states approved abortion amendments including, Arizona, Montana, Nevada, Colorado, Maryland, New York and Missouri.

Thankfully, last November voters in three states voted against enshrining abortion into their state constitutions — Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota.

A Call to Action

The 2026 election cycle will be a significant opportunity for the pro-life community to advance a life-affirming worldview. We can’t be complacent in our advocacy, especially since pro-abortionists pour millions of dollars into these state battles.

We must be prepared to work harder than ever before to promote life, state by state, amendment by amendment and heart by heart.

Image from Shutterstock.