For the Spanish version of this article, click here/Lee aquí la traducción de Jackie
The cold weather did not stop abortion access advocates from gathering at the state capitol to celebrate the submission of 99 boxes of petitions to the Secretary of State on April 18. Dozens braved frigid temperatures with signs in support of the proposed Right to Abortion constitutional amendment that will be added to the ballot come November.
“This is where we kicked off the public-facing campaign on January 22 and we returned here today to announce that we had turned them in and were ready for the next step,” said Karen Middleton, president of Cobalt, a Colorado abortion rights advocacy organization.
Volunteers gathered more than 230,000 signatures which were necessary for the submitted measure to be placed on the ballot. According to rules put forth by the Secretary of State’s office, 124,238 signatures are required for statewide petitions. They must be signed by at least 2% of the total registered electors in each of the 35 Colorado senate districts.
“Today represents the culmination of decades of effort by the abortion and reproductive rights community in Colorado,” Middleton said. “We didn’t get here by a happy accident, we stayed vigilant and we did the work.”
If passed by voters, Initiative 89 would codify the right to abortion in the Colorado Constitution and prohibit state and local governments from denying or discriminating against one’s exercise of that right. It would also allow the procedure to be covered by insurance for state and local government employees, repealing the 40-year constitutional ban prohibiting state dollars from being used for abortions. To amend the Colorado constitution the initiative must receive at least 55% of the votes to be ratified. The measure has been backed by Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom, a coalition including Cobalt and the ACLU of Colorado.
“We must put abortion rights into the Colorado Constitution to protect access for current and future generations. Coloradans deserve the freedom to make personal private healthcare decisions and that right shouldn’t depend on the source of their health insurance or who is in office,” Middleton said.
During the event, supportive speakers took to the west steps of the Capitol Building to address the public and share their support of the proposed measure. Practicing OB-GYN and abortion provider in Colorado, Dr. Nancy Fang was the opening speaker. She shared that the overturn of Roe v. Wade has created a climate of fear and uncertainty, leaving people unsure of their ability to access care. She believes this measure will ensure nearly 1.8 million Coloradans have the full range of reproductive healthcare covered by their insurance company.
“This is another step for Colorado to be a national leader in the reproductive healthcare space and shows my patients that their abortion care is important,” Dr. Fang said.
Amongst the speakers was college student Rosie Glaser, who recalled sharing a conversation with her mother two years ago when Roe v. Wade was overturned. They shared their different fears for the future and together realized how difficult it has become to access comprehensive reproductive healthcare. She is deeply concerned about the high cost and the exclusion of abortion care from public health insurance plans. An abortion pill without insurance can cost over $600 out of pocket. Prices like these without insurance can affect anyone, especially college students.
“The financial out-of-pocket cost forces students to sacrifice their health for the sake of their education or vice versa,” she said. Advocates believe young voters could be the deciding factor for the initiative this November.
“I cannot comfortably live somewhere that would not allow me to make my own decisions around what I need to do for my health and life, I know that I’m not alone in this,” Glaser said. “This statewide ballot measure is a promise of that protection, a promise that Colorado is a safe place for young people to lay roots.”
Abortion rights advocates are deeply passionate about reproductive freedom and have dedicated their time and effort to collecting signatures. Aurea Bolaños Perea, strategic communication director at Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights, a co-chair organization for the campaign, said they have been fighting for a future in Colorado where people do not have economic barriers. The organization wanted to join the campaign to go further in protecting the reproductive freedoms of all people and believes everyone deserves to live in a community where they have safe, healthy and self-determined lives.
“Personally, for me, this is exactly what I deserve, what my community deserves, and what the future generations deserve,” Bolaños Perea said. “The women who came before me, this is the future they wanted to live in and now they get to see some of us fight for it.”
On the same day, the Colorado abortion ban initiative failed to qualify for the November ballot as it was unable to meet the required amount of signatures. The Colorado Life Initiative, a church-led movement, proposed Initiative 81 which would have defined a “living human child” beginning at the moment of conception. In addition, it would prohibit abortion and provide penalties for individuals and facilities that perform abortions. Faye Barnhart, co-sponsor of the measure, blames pro-life supporters and lack of publicity for its failure. However, she said she will continue to push for the abortion ban and hopes to put forward another ballot measure in the next election.
With more than 100,000 signatures over the required amount, this could be the largest signature effort in Colorado history but has yet to be verified. The Secretary of State Jena Griswold is responsible for the review of petitions and signature verification. In the meantime, Middleton said they will be implementing their next step, which is to launch their general campaign between now and November as well as talking to voters and encouraging them to vote yes on this proposition.
“It’s a day worth pausing and celebrating because we have really changed hearts, minds and mobilized a lot of voters and we think that we will be moving on to a win in November,” Middleton said.
