November 21, 2024 02:35 PM UTC

Protecting Abortion Rights Crushed Statewide, Boosted Dems

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• by: Colorado Pols

A press release from the Yes on Amendment 79 campaign today recaps the strong performance of this year’s constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights across the state, winning a majority in six out of eight of the state’s congressional districts and outperforming the candidates at the top of the ballot:

Abortion access has consistently and historically transcended political and party divisions in Colorado, and Amendment 79 demonstrated that again in 2024. Colorado public officials at the state and federal levels should continue to be mindful of the will of Colorado voters…

Initial analysis based on county results found Amendment 79 received majority Yes votes from six of eight congressional districts (CDs) in Colorado.

Amendment 79 won a majority in Congressional District 3 in western Colorado with 54% of the vote based on county analysis. It also probably finished above the 55% threshold in Congressional District 8. Amendment 79 won Adams County in CD 8 with 60%. It finished at 50% in Weld, and Garfield County/Rifle in CD 3 was also above 60%.

Amendment 79 was extremely popular in Colorado’s ski counties. Pitkin County (Aspen) was the top vote recipient in the state with 82% in support, with San Miguel (Telluride) at 81%, and Summit/Eagle counties (Vail) at 75% and 71% respectively. Denver County was at 81% and even Douglas County in CD 4 finished at 54.5%. Pueblo at 53.5% and El Paso at 52% also surpassed a majority.

Despite its location far down this year’s lengthy ballot below a mind-numbing list of judicial retention questions, Amendment 79 reportedly had the smallest “undervote” percentage of any of this year’s 14 statewide ballot measures–a clear indicator that the measure was a high priority for voters. Exit polling by the campaign shows that Amendment 79 was heavily supported by young voters and voters of color, along with almost a quarter of Republicans:

Exit polling by Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom also shows that Amendment 79 received Yes votes from the following groups:

• 69% of young voters

• Over two-thirds of voters of color

• 23% of registered Republicans

• 18% of Trump voters

• 91% of Harris voters

There’s been some debate since the election about abortion rights ballot measures that passed in 7 out of the 10 states where the issue appeared on the ballot, including in states like Missouri, Arizona, and Nevada who voted to protect abortion rights and to re-elect Donald Trump–the man who proudly takes credit for the repeal of Roe v. Wade. What we can say is that in Colorado, voters perceived no false security to vote for abortion rights and the candidate who has done more to endanger those rights than any single political figure in our lifetimes. Excepting Gabe Evans’ successful muddying of the issue enough to narrowly prevail in the CO-08 race, protecting abortion rights was a political winner once again for Democratic candidates in Colorado, just like it has been in every statewide election where the question has appeared in the last 20 years. Any such “ticket splitting” is more than made up for by the mutual advantage evident in strong margins of victory for both Democrats from Kamala Harris on down the ballot and Amendment 79.

The nationwide assault on abortion rights and Colorado’s continuing role as a haven for patients who need care will keep Colorado voters engaged even with abortion rights enshrined in the state’s consitution. If Colorado Republicans had any sense about them, the debate over abortion in this state would be over.

But they don’t, and it’s not, and Republicans determined to ignore the lopsided will of Colorado voters will continue to pay the price year after year.