Arizona election officials certified on Monday that the issue of abortion will appear on the state’s ballot in November.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said that his office certified 577,971 signatures collected by proponents for the bill to put the measure on the ballot. If passed, the measure would allow abortions up until a fetus is viable, or could survive outside the womb, which is usually around 24 weeks of pregnancy. It would also restrict lawmakers from enforcing any laws that prohibit access to abortion.
Fontes said that the number of collected signatures is a record for Arizona, according to a video message released from his office that was published by NBC News’ Alex Tabet. The measure was backed by the initiative Arizona for Abortion Access.
“This is a huge win for Arizona voters who will now get to vote YES on restoring and protecting the right to access abortion care, free from political interference, once and for all,” said Cheryl Bruce, campaign manager for Arizona for Abortion Access, in a statement Monday.
Vice President Kamala Harris is gaining ground against former President Donald Trump in Arizona, according to recent polls. But the race still remains close in the crucial battleground state.
This is a developing news story and will be updated with more information.
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