The American state of Ohio, controlled by Republicans, voted on Tuesday to include the protection of the right to abortion in its Constitution, several American media reported Tuesday evening, a test vote which was closely followed across the country .
For defenders of voluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion), it was necessary to check “yes” to prevent the State from interfering in a “personal decision”; for his opponents, it was imperative to say “no” to a text that “goes too far”.
In several polling stations in Columbus, the capital of this Midwestern state, the influx of voters was constant.
Among them was Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, 38, a political novice and new darling of conservatives.
“I am voting no because I am pro-life,” he told Agence France-Presse (AFP). If the change were adopted, “it would not be a good thing for the country,” he added.
I’m voting no because I’m pro-life. […] This would not be a good thing for the country.
On the contrary, Julianna Farr, 74, voted “yes”. “As a woman” above all, she explains, to protect a right that she considers inalienable.
Both camps waged a fierce campaign with millions of dollars and ubiquitous television messages.
Since the Supreme Court overturned in the summer of 2022 the ruling which guaranteed the federal right of American women to terminate their pregnancies, the question of the right to abortion has returned to the United States.
Several states have restricted or banned it, others have strengthened it.
Last year, several votes were systematically won by supporters of the right to abortion, even in conservative states and to the great surprise of Republicans.
Because the subject, which should weigh on the 2024 presidential election, strongly mobilizes voters.
And even some Americans who do not identify as progressive have considered the bans decided by several states radical.
Test ballot
In Ohio, a right-wing attempt to complicate the organization and adoption of referendums (with abortion in the crosshairs) failed in August
Defenders of abortion have succeeded in gathering hundreds of thousands of signatures in order to submit to the population a constitutional amendment enshrining the right to abortion.
It was also about countering a law that came into force after the Supreme Court decision, which bans most abortions — even in cases of rape or incest — as soon as a heartbeat can be detected. That is to say around six weeks, often before a woman even knows she is pregnant.
This law is currently on hold due to a legal battle. Currently, abortion is legal in Ohio up to approximately 22 weeks of pregnancy.
But during the short time these ultra-restrictive rules were in effect, a 10-year-old girl who was pregnant after rape had to travel to neighboring Indiana to have an abortion, a case that shocked people across the country.
The proposed amendment provides that every individual has “the right to make and implement their own decisions” in matters including abortion, contraception and treatment related to fertility or miscarriages.
Undecided
For its opponents, like Republican Governor Mike DeWine, this would open the door to abortions being performed “at any time during pregnancy” and to the possibility of minors having recourse to them without the consent of their parents.
The opposing camp categorically denies this.
Some residents said they were still undecided on the eve of the vote.
Matthew Hartman, 20, a student at Ohio State University, told AFP that as a Christian he was “praying” and “doing research” to arrive at the right decision.
He said he was leaning towards “yes” because he thinks in particular that women who are pregnant after rape should not be forced to have the child. “But I believe in God’s decisions. So this is something that as a Christian I have to resolve for myself,” he explained.
The issue of abortion was on everyone’s minds during two other votes on Tuesday.
In very conservative Kentucky, Democratic Governor Andy Beshear, candidate for re-election, has made the right to abortion a battleground against Republican Daniel Cameron.
And in Virginia, where legislative elections are being held, if the Republicans win, Governor Glenn Youngkin could try to impose restrictions on abortion.