Kentucky voters asked whether there's a right to an abortion

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Karen Roper was so shaken by the demise of Roe v. Wade that she joined the abortion-rights struggle in Kentucky, where the future of abortion access could hinge on a constitutional question before voters this election.

Roper is part of a volunteer network canvassing neighborhoods seeking votes against the Nov. 8 ballot proposal. Kentucky voters are being asked to decide whether to amend the state constitution to declare outright that it doesn’t protect the right to an abortion.

The question reads: “To protect human life, nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of abortion.”

A 55-year-old mother of two daughters, Roper spent several October weekends knocking on doors in a central Kentucky town.

“This issue is really beyond a candidate and it’s beyond a political party,” she said. “I felt like this was more important than even any candidate I might care about.”

Fervor is running high on both sides. Abortion opponents see the measure as a way to end any constitutional protections for abortion in Kentucky — perhaps settling the long legal fight for good.

“This is a pivotal moment in Kentucky’s history,” said Addia Wuchner, chairwoman of the pro-amendment Yes for Life Alliance.

Currently, abortions are mostly on hold in Kentucky amid sparring over the constitutionality of a near-total abortion ban trigger law. Approved by lawmakers in 2019, the ban took effect after Roe was overturned. Now the ballot measure has intensified debate, with donations pouring in, politicians speaking out and advocates on both sides accusing the opposition of misleading voters.

Meanwhile, abortion-rights supporters have been encouraged by developments this summer in another conservative state, Kansas,...