Nebraska voters approved a ballot measure enshrining current abortion restrictions in the state's constitution, NBC News projects, a setback for reproductive rights advocates in the red state.
Unlike most states where the abortion issue was put directly before voters this year, the Nebraska ballot pitted two competing abortion measures against each other.
One amendment, known as “Protect Our Rights,” proposed expanding abortion access to the point of fetal viability, generally considered to be around the 24th week of pregnancy. The other, called “Protect Women and Children,” which sought to codify the state’s 12-week ban in the constitution while keeping the door open for additional restrictions.
The amendment to codify the current abortion restrictions was receiving 55% support with 92% of the vote in, while the measure to add constitutional protections for abortion received 49% support.
The rules were somewhat confusing. For a ballot measure to pass in the state, it needs a majority of the vote and at least 35% of the total votes cast in the election in favor of it. But if both of them clear the threshold then the one that secures more votes would be adopted.
It was a novel strategy by anti-abortion-rights advocates, who were on a losing streak with abortion-rights ballot initiatives heading into Election Day.
