Florida fails to overturn six-week abortion ban

An attempt to overturn Florida’s six-week abortion ban and enshrine female reproductive rights in the state’s constitution has failed, NBC News is predicting.

The proposal, known as Amendment 4, sought to allow abortions in Florida up to the point of foetal viability (usually around 24 weeks of pregnancy).

It is not the only state where abortion specifically is on the ballot. Sky’s partner organisation, NBC News, has projected Colorado, New York and Maryland have all voted in favour of improving access to the medical procedure.

Under a law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, abortions in Florida are banned after six weeks of pregnancy – this is before many women even realise they are pregnant.

The amendment won majority support but failed to pass the 60% threshold required to become state law.

It is a setback for reproductive rights groups and a victory for the Republican governor, who had campaigned heavily against the initiative.

DeSantis has been criticised for using state money to produce adverts against Amendment 4. His administration also sent letters threatening state TV stations with criminal charges if they aired political ads supporting it.

Taxpayer dollars should not normally be used for overt campaigning or political reasons, but no courts stepped in to stop state agencies from engaging on the issue.

It became one of the most hotly contested fights of the 2024 election cycle, as Florida’s status as a battleground state faded, and it voted to elect Donald Trump for a second term.

With 97% of votes counted, he is predicted to win Florida‘s 30 Electoral College votes.

US election live: Battleground states too early to call

And even though the ballot failed, an exit poll by NBC News found that 64% of Florida voters said abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

Another amendment that would have legalised the use of recreational marijuana in Florida also failed, NBC News is predicting.