Idaho voters rejected Proposition 1, a citizen-led ballot initiative that sought to relax the state’s near-total abortion ban, according to projections by the Associated Press and NBC News. With 95% of votes counted, the measure failed by a margin of 56% to 44%, as announced at 2:35 a.m. on Wednesday.
The Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act would have allowed abortion up until fetal viability, defined as the point where a fetus has a significant likelihood of sustained survival outside the uterus without extraordinary medical measures—generally around 23 to 24 weeks. The initiative also would have protected reproductive healthcare decisions, including abortion, contraception, and miscarriage care, from government interference. It specified that these decisions would be made by individuals in consultation with their healthcare providers.
Idaho’s existing abortion ban, enacted in 2022 following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, prohibits nearly all abortions with limited exceptions for medical emergencies. The ban has been among the strictest in the nation and has sparked legal and political disputes since its implementation.
Proposition 1 would have taken effect in 2027 if passed, but its failure ensures the state’s current restrictions remain in place. The measure framed reproductive freedom as a right to make personal healthcare decisions without government interference, emphasizing patient-provider confidentiality.
Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, 11 states have expanded access to abortion and reproductive care, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. Meanwhile, Idaho has seen a notable exodus of OB-GYNs, with nearly a third leaving, retiring, or stopping practice between August 2022 and earlier this year.
The ballot initiative’s defeat underscores the ongoing divide over abortion policy in Idaho, where the state’s ban has remained a focal point in national debates over reproductive rights following federal protections under Roe were removed.