Abortion rights initiative qualifies for Idaho's November ballot
Jul 13, 2026
Supporters of a proposed constitutional initiative to restore abortion access in Idaho say they have received confirmation that their measure has qualified for the November ballot, even as the Idaho Secretary of State had not ye
t publicly announced which citizen-led initiatives qualified.Idahoans United for Women Families announced Tuesday that the Reproductive Freedom Privacy Act met the state's signature requirements after organizers submitted more than 110,000 signatures the largest total ever gathered for a qualified ballot initiative in Idaho, according to the campaign. WATCH | The abortion rights debate heads to the ballot box as supporters and opponents gear up for November Abortion rights initiative qualifies for Idaho's November ballotTo qualify, Idaho law requires supporters to collect valid signatures equal to 6% of registered voters statewide and 6% of registered voters in at least 18 of Idaho's 35 legislative districts.Campaign organizers said more than 1,250 volunteers collected signatures in all 44 Idaho counties, exceeding both thresholds."It's ultimately a testament to how incredibly important this issue is to those hundreds of Idaho volunteers," said Melanie Folwell, executive director of Idahoans United for Women Families. "This is deeply personal. This is high stakes."If approved by voters in November, the Reproductive Freedom Privacy Act would restore abortion access similar to what existed before Idaho's abortion ban took effect. The measure would also protect access to contraception, fertility care and other reproductive health decisions.Folwell said the campaign believes support for the measure extends beyond party affiliation."This is truly an everybody issue," Folwell said. "Personal decisions do not have partisanship. And I think ultimately people are sick of politicians playing political football with their lives."PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Idaho abortion initiative nears deadline as backers say they have enough signaturesOpponents have already begun organizing against the measure.The political action committee Too Extreme for Idaho, which is leading the Stop Prop. 1 campaign, called the proposal an "extreme, California-style abortion measure.""Idaho voters see Proposition 1 for what it is an extreme, California-style abortion measure that is out of step with the sensibilities of most Idahoans," the group said in a statement.With the signature-gathering phase complete, supporters say their focus is now on convincing voters ahead of the November election."We're going to continue knocking doors, continue talking to people everywhere," Folwell said. "We've got a small volunteer army ready to get back out there, and we just continue forward till November."The other citizen-led initiative still awaiting a decision from the Secretary of State is the Idaho Medical Marijuana Act.The proposal would allow qualifying patients with certain medical conditions to use medical marijuana with a health care practitioner's recommendation while creating a state-regulated system for cultivation, testing and dispensaries.As of publication, the Secretary of State had not announced whether the medical marijuana initiative had qualified for the November ballot.
...read more
read less