Arizona’s Abortion Rights Vote Teeters on Final Courtroom Showdown

The Arizona Supreme Court is set to deliver a definitive ruling on the proposed amendment to enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution, known as Proposition 139.

This decision comes as the deadline for final rulings on ballot initiatives approaches, with August 22 marking the cut-off for the Maricopa County Elections Department to prepare ballots for military and out-of-state voters.

Secretary of State Adrian Fontes announced that the Arizona Abortion Access Act has successfully qualified for the ballot, having garnered a record number of signatures—nearly 200,000 above the required threshold.

The crux of the current legal battle lies in a challenge from Arizona Right-to-Life, which claims the 200-word summary of Proposition 139 is misleading. They argue it does not adequately inform voters about significant legal shifts the initiative entails.

Supporters are expected to file their counterarguments with the court this week. Recently, a lower court dismissed the challenge, asserting that the ballot description effectively conveyed the initiative’s key elements.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Melissa Iyer Julian emphasized the clarity of the ballot language in her ruling, reaffirming the initiative’s place on the upcoming statewide election ballot.