PHOENIX – An informational pamphlet for Arizona voters deciding this fall whether to grant a constitutional right to abortion may refer to a fetus as an “unborn human being,” the state’s highest court ruled Wednesday.
Arizona voters will decide in November whether to add abortion rights to the state Constitution.
The proposed amendment would allow abortions until the fetus could survive outside the womb, typically around 24 weeks, with exceptions to save the life of the pregnant person or to protect her physical or mental health. It would restrict the state from adopting or enforcing any law that would prohibit access to the procedure.
Arizona Supreme Court justices, in Wednesday’s decision, sided with Republican lawmakers over supporters of the abortion rights ballot measure.
The ruling drew criticism from abortion rights advocates, who had argued that the phrase “unborn human being” is neither impartial nor objective. They also said they were concerned that Arizonans would be subjected to biased and politically charged language.
“We are deeply disappointed by this ruling, but we will not be deterred from doing everything in our power to communicate to voters the truth about the Arizona Abortion Access Act and why a YES vote is critical to restoring and protecting access to abortion care this fall,” the group Arizona for Abortion Access said in a statement.
The pamphlet provides voters with information about the candidates and ballot measures to help them make an informed decision. However, it was unclear whether any specific language contained in the pamphlet would appear on the ballot.
The Arizona secretary of state’s office said Monday it had certified 577,971 signatures, far more than the required number that the coalition supporting the measure had to submit in order to put the question to voters.
Democrats have made abortion rights a central message since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, and it is a key part of their efforts in this year’s elections.
