Abortion and Reproductive Rights

An anti-abortion group formed to oppose constitutional amendment G is dropping its lawsuit against the group bringing the initiative. South Dakota voters rejected the proposal 59 to 41 percent earlier this month.

Two measures, a repeal of the state human consumption tax and an effort to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, failed at the ballot box. Now, advocates question how to best move forward.

South Dakota voters rejected an amendment to put abortion rights into the state constitution in the 2024 election. As SDPB’s Lee Strubinger reports, the success and failure of the campaigns came down to funding and organization.

South Dakota voters have rejected an abortion rights constitutional amendment.

Kate Looby was the director of Planned Parenthood in South Dakota from 2003 to the end of 2008. During that time, voters twice rejected near total abortion bans during elections in 2006 and 2008.

Dakotans for Health is filing paperwork that says it received a $500,000 donation from the political action committee called ‘Think Big America.’ The Chicago-based group is backed by Democratic Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.

The group hoping to place abortion rights into the state constitution is being outraised and outspent by anti-abortion groups by over 5 to 1. That’s according to state campaign finance filings that were due this week.

Those against a proposed abortion rights ballot question say it allows for abortion up to birth. Anti-abortion groups say that’s based on a case that was overturned when the US Supreme Court struck down Roe V. Wade.

In November, South Dakotans will vote on whether to place abortion rights into the state constitution.  It’s the third time in 20 years the electorate has weighed in on abortion. 

Campaigns for and against the abortion ballot question say they’re going to increase their messaging heading into the last month before election day.