Albuquerque Voters Stand Up for Safe and Legal Abortion

Voters in Albuquerque today rejected a ballot measure that would have outlawed abortion after 20 weeks

November 19, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: 212-549-2666, media@aclu.org

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Voters in Albuquerque today rejected a ballot measure that would have outlawed abortion after 20 weeks.

“Today’s vote sends a resounding message to those who seek to interfere in a woman’s most personal decisions,” said Jennifer Dalven, director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project. “Again and again, when the people vote on this important issue, they make clear that they want these personal and private decisions to be left to a woman, her family, and her doctor. Extremist politicians trying to pass similar laws should start listening to what the voters have to say.”

The voters’ rejection of the Albuquerque ban follows the defeat of other abortion restrictions in states like Mississippi, South Dakota, Colorado, and Florida in recent years.

“Today, the people of Albuquerque sent a resounding message that government should stay out of women’s deeply personal medical decisions,” said Peter Simonson, executive director of the ACLU of New Mexico. “New Mexico has a rich tradition of respecting the diverse cultural and religious viewpoints in our state, including beliefs about abortion. That is why Albuquerque voters rejected this misleading, unconstitutional ballot measure brought to our state by out-of-touch extremists.”

Although the ban technically only applied in Albuquerque, in fact, the impact of the ban would have been felt by women and families throughout the state because Albuquerque is the only city in the state where a woman can obtain an abortion at 20 weeks.