Summary: Peace & Life Referendums
compiled by Rachel MacNair
For details on the referendums and explanations of why consistent-lifers have an interest in them, see:
Peace and Life Referendums
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Good News
No Abortion “Right” in State Constitution
The Louisiana “Love Life Amendment” passed with flying colors – 63% of the vote. Formally, it’s the “No Right to Abortion in Constitution Amendment.” Our Louisiana page has several short videos explaining the value of a “yes” vote from a consistent-life point of view.
West Virginia, Alabama and Tennessee have similar language in their state constitutions.
One presidential candidate said in a debate that “Roe v. Wade is on the ballot,” oblivious to the point that the court decision has never actually been on the ballot. In this case, it was on the ballot for a state, and Roe failed dramatically.
Ending Slavery for Good
Both Nebraska and Utah had measures to remove the exception for those convicted of a crime from their state constitutions’ prohibition on slavery. This passed by 68% in Nebraska and 80% in Utah.
Paid Family and Medical Leave
Colorado passed this with 57% of the vote; we explain on the Colorado page why this is life-affirming and helps prevent abortions, complete with a speech Henry Hyde (of the Hyde Amendment) gave.
Minimum Wage
Florida needed 60% of the vote to pass this, and it got 61%.
Medicaid Expansion
Missouri and Oklahoma both passed this in their states earlier this year.
Roots of Racism: Removing the Symbols
There were three measures that didn’t deal with memorial statues that all passed:
Alabama voted (66%) to clean up its 1901 state constitution, which includes racial segregation and bans on interracial marriage, among other problems. Legal rulings have already made these outdated, which is why their removal is symbolic, but symbols influence thinking and thinking influences violence.
Mississippi liked the new design of its state flag (pictured below), approving it by 71%. This replaces the one that had the Confederate symbol in it.
Rhode Island decided, by 53%, to remove “and Providence Plantations” from its formal name.
Bad News
Late-Term Abortions
Colorado had a chance to ban this especially grisly practice, one that tends to target people with disabilities especially. Unfortunately, the “no” vote was about 59%. It will be some time before pro-life understandings are widespread in Colorado.
Stem Cell Research
Not all people are familiar with the human embryo-destroying aspects of some parts of stem cell research as practiced in California, so not everyone would know this wasn’t simply voting for medical research. Californians voted by 51% to allow for borrowing for more research.
Roots of Racism and War Memorials: Removing the Symbols
These were all county votes: Jackson County, Missouri keeps its statutes of its namesake Andrew Jackson, and Franklin County and Lunenburg County in Virginia keep their Confederate statues.
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