Are you in one of the 10 states with abortion on the ballot? Here's your starter pack to learning more and getting involved!
If you’re in the United States, you know abortion is one of the hottest-contested issues in society and on the ballot this year. 10 states* have major “pro-choice” ballot measures that would:
overturn existing legal protections and/or block future ones for preborn children,
widely increase access to elective abortion (often with little to no restrictions based on circumstance or stage of pregnancy), and/or
even add a “fundamental right to abortion” to the state’s constitution.
Amidst this, there is a lot of confusion among voters, including Latter-day Saints (even after the Church’s recent re-statement on the topic). We want to answer some of the common questions we see regarding these state initiatives.
Where is this happening?
Arizona
Colorado
Florida
Maryland
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New York
South Dakota
Learn more, including researching the full text of these initiatives and what they mean, at http://liveaction.org/ and abortionballot.com.
What should Latter-day Saints believe about laws relating to abortion?
Faith in Jesus Christ and His Church is central to everything we do and believe, and we allow His words and the teachings of His Church to guide us. Here are a few key places we can go to inform how we think and vote related to legal provisions/restrictions for elective abortion:
“For the wrath of God is provoked by governments that… legalize abortion” - Russell M Nelson “Lessons from Eve,” General Conference, October 1987
"We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society." “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”, September 23, 1995
“With respect to several current U.S. state ballot initiatives relative to abortion and sanctity for life, the Church affirms that its position on abortion remains unchanged. ‘As states work to enact laws related to abortion, Church members may appropriately choose to participate in efforts to protect life and to preserve religious liberty.’” Church Newsroom, October 8 2024, “Church Reiterates Positions on Political Neutrality, Civil Discourse, and Abortion”
Read more on our FAQs page: latterdaysaintsforlife.org/faqs
What should Latter-day Saints for Life Do?
Our official statement is as follows:
Latter-day Saints for Life encourages members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to legally and appropriately use their influence to protect the lives of preborn children in their communities. We understand there are many important issues to prayerfully weigh when choosing how to vote; we believe protecting preborn life is among the most important priorities to consider. It is our right and responsibility to vote pro-life, for the protection of preborn children of God and for the preservation of our societies.
As the Church has restated, “As states work to enact laws related to abortion, Church members may appropriately choose to participate in efforts to protect life and to preserve religious liberty.”
Ask yourself, and the Lord, if and how else you might contribute to protect life in your community—especially if you live in any of this elections’ key states.
How can I help in these states?
A lot of you have asked, “I’m in [one of these states]! What can I do to help?”
In response, we’ve compiled a list of places you might start to get connected and find opportunities to serve to protect life in your state:
Arizona
Arizona Life Coalition: https://pro-lifearizona.com/get-involved/individuals/
Choose Life Arizona: https://www.chooselifeaz.org/get-involved
Colorado
Right to Know Colorado: https://www.righttoknowco.com/
Colorado Right to Life: https://coloradortl.org/take-action/
Florida
Florida Right to Life: https://frtl.org/about-us/
Liberty Counsel: https://lc.org/flamendment
Maryland
Maryland Right to Life: https://www.mdrtl.org/
Maryland Coalition for Life: https://mdcoalitionforlife.com/
Missouri
Missouri Right to Life: https://missourilife.org/
Montana
Pro-life Montana: https://prolifemontana.com/
Montana Pro-life Coalition: https://montanaprolifecoalition.org/
Nebraska
Nebraska Right to Life: https://nebraskarighttolife.org/
Nevada
Nevada Right to Life: https://nevadarighttolife.org/
New York
Public Policy Office of the Archdiocese of New York: https://archny.org/ministries-and-offices/respect-life/get-involved/public-policy-respect-life/
Pregnancy Care Center of New York: https://pccofny.org/home/about-us/
South Dakota
South Dakota Right to Life: https://www.sdrighttolife.org/
General resources that you might also consider (not state specific)
Abortion Ballot: http://abortionballot.com
Latter-day Saints for Life (reach out if you’re interested in connecting with or becoming a regional representative: info.latterdaysaintsforlife@gmail.com)
National Right to Life: https://nrlc.org/
Pro-life Across America: https://prolifeacrossamerica.org/
Americans United for Life: https://aul.org/
Live Action: https://www.liveaction.org/news/abortion-state-ballot-november/
Disclaimer: Some of the above resources are more relevant than others; we have tried to compile the best options available. If you have other referrals, please share them in the comments below! We do not necessarily endorse any of the above organizations, nor are we affiliated with them.
Is There Any Hope?
When we discuss politics, abortion, and especially the two together, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the evil, contention, and fear that we see.
Is it worth hoping? Is it worth trying?
Absolutely!
We promise that as you walk day by day, striving to follow Christ and listen to the Spirit, you can vote with confidence, serve your community with hope, and live in peace knowing that you have done what you are called to do, and the rest is in the Lord’s hands.
Take heart, brothers and sisters. Yes, we live in perilous times, but as we stay on the covenant path, we need not fear. I bless you that as you do so, you will not be troubled by the times in which we live or the troubles that come your way.
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