Missouri voters approve amendment to protect abortion rights as legal battles loom

Missouri voters have approved Amendment 3, which will protect the right to an abortion until after fetal viability. This change will take effect on December 6, but legal challenges to existing restrictions are expected to follow. Abortion opponents plan to continue their fight, potentially seeking to reverse Amendment 3 through a ballot measure in 2026. Some Republican lawmakers have expressed differing views on how to respond to the amendment's passage. The amendment passed with 51.7% support, winning in both Republican and Democratic areas, though it faced opposition in some counties. Governor-elect Mike Kehoe indicated he would uphold the state constitution but expressed hope that the amendment would not pass.