Florida voters reject ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in state constitution

Florida voters rejected a ballot measure on Tuesday that aimed to add abortion rights to the state constitution. The proposal needed over 60% support to pass but fell short despite majority backing. The amendment sought to allow abortions up to about 24 weeks of pregnancy. Currently, Florida law bans abortions after six weeks, a change enacted by Governor Ron DeSantis, who campaigned against the measure. DeSantis faced criticism for using state resources to oppose the amendment, including launching a website and producing campaign-style ads. Both the abortion rights measure and a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana were defeated, marking a political win for DeSantis.