In a move that could boost Democratic voter turnout in a critical swing state, Arizona abortion rights advocates are racing to meet a Wednesday deadline for a ballot measure to amend the state constitution to include “a fundamental right” to the procedure. 

If the measure is approved to go on the ballot, Arizona will join Colorado, Nevada, and Florida as states central to the presidential election where abortion could help bring Democratic voters to the polls, though there are abortion-related ballot measures pending in 11 states.

Measures ensuring access to abortion have been undefeated at the ballot box since the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade precedent on abortion in 2022.

On Wednesday morning, organizers with Arizona for Abortion Access say, they plan to turn in their petitions in support of getting their measure on the ballot.

The proposed amendment, the Arizona Abortion Access Act, would prevent state lawmakers from limiting access to abortion before the point of fetal viability, generally considered to be at about 24 weeks of pregnancy.

“It’s based on the very-Arizona idea that people have a right to individual autonomy,” the proposal’s backers say on their website, “including in our healthcare decisions, without unnecessary government interference.”

The proposed amendment would also prevent lawmakers from limiting abortion access after the point of fetal viability in cases where the health or life of the mother is at risk.

In addition, the amendment would prevent lawmakers from punishing those who help others in exercising their right to an abortion.

The campaign manager for the abortion-rights group, Cheryl Bruce, told ABC15 Arizona that the group is confident that they will make the ballot. They plan to submit more than 800,000 signatures. They only need some 384,000 to make the ballot in the state.

“Arizonans from across the state have made it clear that they want to see this on the ballot,” Ms. Bruce told ABC15 Arizona.

An anti-abortion rights group, It Goes Too Far, is also organizing against the amendment with the “decline to sign” campaign. Organizers did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Sun.

The It Goes Too Far campaign claims that the language of the abortion rights ballot measure would create what they call medical safety concerns for women. The group plans to campaign against the measure through November.

In Arizona, the state currently restricts access to abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Earlier this year, a few Republicans broke with their party to vote to repeal a Civil War-era ban on abortions that became reactivated with the fall of Roe.

In Arizona, as in other swing states, Democrats are hoping that ballot measures aimed at protecting abortion rights might be able to get unenthusiastic Democratic-leaning voters to the polls in November.

How effective ballot measures are at turning out voters who would otherwise have stayed home in a presidential election is unclear.

Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade abortion rights have gone undefeated at the ballot box and in 2024 there are potentially 11 states where abortion rights will be on the ballots.

Alongside Arizona, organizers are seeking to have a pro-abortion rights ballot measure approved for the ballot in Nevada, another key swing state. 

An anti-abortion rights ballot measure may also be placed on the ballot in Pennsylvania and is awaiting legislative approval.

There may also be an abortion rights ballot measure on the ballot in Montana, where there is going to be a competitive Senate race where Senator Tester, a Democrat, is defending his seat.

In Florida, voters will have a chance to decide on a ballot measure that would “provide a constitutional right to abortion before fetal viability, which is estimated to be around 24 weeks,” according to BallotPedia.