An initiative to revoke Idaho’s strict abortion ban is one step closer to making it onto the ballot this November.
About 200 volunteers and advocates from Idahoans United for Women & Families gathered at the Capitol Thursday to drop off signatures in support of the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act, a bill that would restore the right to abortion up to fetal viability and when the health of the mother is in danger.
Since 2022, Idaho has banned most abortions, with exceptions for rape, incest or if the life of the mother is threatened.
“Future generations will look back on this day and say, when reproductive freedom was under attack Idahoans did not stay silent,” said Desi Ballis speaking at the podium in the rotunda
“You organized. You fought. You showed up.”
In a press release, the organization said more than 1,200 volunteers collected signatures over the last 10 months.
To make it on the ballot, initiatives require signatures from 6% of eligible voters, or roughly 70,000 people, coming from 18 of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts. Last week, the organization announced it had collected over 108,000 signatures.
Organizer John Eckert led the effort in South East Idaho.
“We canvassed agricultural communities, where each house was a five to 10 minute drive away. We staffed farmers markets and coffee shops, library, parking lots, art walks, ski hills and churches,” he said.
“If you believe, as I do, that private medical decisions are between you, your family and your doctor. Raise your voice, raise your fists and say yes!” he added, as the crowd cheered.
Volunteers, mostly women, then gathered outside and formed a human chain to bring boxes of signatures from each county from a U-Haul truck in front of the Capitol, up the steps, around the rotunda and into the Secretary of State’s office.
The state will now do a final review of the signatures.
