Missouri Supreme Court Strikes Down Secretary of State's Abortion Ballot Language

The Missouri Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal by Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft regarding the wording of a ballot question on abortion access in the state. Ashcroft had proposed asking voters whether they are in favor of allowing "dangerous and unregulated abortions until live birth," but a state appeals court deemed the wording politically partisan. The decision comes as advocates on both sides grapple with how to word the question that could go on the ballot. In all seven states where abortion has been on the ballot since Roe v. Wade was struck down, voters have either supported protecting abortion rights or rejected attempts to erode them.