This election, ten states will have abortion on the ballot, but its impact may be negligible.

In 10 U.S. states, major ballot initiatives will be decided this year, either expanding or restricting abortion access for women. Despite being a highly divisive issue, some advocacy groups believe it will not significantly impact voter turnout as much as expected.

Vice President Harris has prioritized abortion access and reproductive rights in her presidential campaign.

The Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade may not have the same impact on voter turnout in the upcoming election as it did during the 2022 midterms, which were held shortly after the decision was made.

Shawn Carney, president of the pro-life nonprofit group "40 Days for Life," stated in an interview with Planet Chronicle that he believes Democrats are significantly overestimating the influence of abortion.

The nonprofit has a grassroots presence in all 50 states and has heavily canvassed in the 10 states that will vote directly on abortion-related measures this year: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Nevada, and South Dakota.

Most of these ballot measures aim to modify laws enacted in Republican-led states, which were passed to limit abortion following the Supreme Court's June 2022 ruling on Roe.

In Missouri, voters will have the chance to repeal the state's almost complete abortion ban, while in Arizona, they can modify the constitution to permit abortions up to 24 weeks.

Florida, with over 13 million registered voters, is the most populous state to make decisions on abortion measures.

The voters will decide whether to lift the existing law that prohibits abortions after six weeks and extend it to the point of fetal viability between 23 and 24 weeks.

According to Carney, the popularity of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican and staunch advocate of pro-life issues, makes Florida the state with the best chance to win.

"Our presence in Florida is strong, with successful "40 Days" campaigns in every corner of the state."

Despite efforts by Harris and other Democrats to emphasize the new threats to abortion access, it remains uncertain how this will affect voter turnout in a presidential election primarily focused on economic concerns and immigration.

At a rally in Kalamazoo, Michigan last week, Michelle Obama focused a significant portion of her speech on the potential ways women's reproductive rights could be further restricted.

"Obama said to the audience, "Your niece might be the one who miscarries in her bathtub after being turned away by the hospital, and your daughter could be the one who is scared to call the doctor if she's bleeding during an unplanned pregnancy.""

In states where abortion is on the ballot, voters will make their decision on it separately from their presidential and down-ballot leader votes, allowing for the possibility of pro-choice supporters voting for Trump and Republicans while still supporting pro-life procedures.

The "decoupling" effort would reflect the shift in public opinion that supports abortion, as a Planet Chronicle poll this year revealed that a record-high number of voters now say they support legalizing abortion in some form, including two-thirds who supported a nationwide law that would guarantee abortion access for women.

The percentage of people who believe abortion should be legal in "all or most cases" has increased from 57% in September 2022 to 59% in the latest survey.

The extent to which the issue of abortion will influence voter turnout this year among supporters and opponents of the new ballot measure is uncertain.

In the 2024 election cycle, voters consistently rank abortion as the third most important issue, following immigration and significantly behind the economy.

In a recent Planet Chronicle poll, only 15% of voters ranked abortion as their top priority in 2024, while 17% of voters viewed immigration as their top issue and 40% ranked the economy as their top priority.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news and exclusive interviews from the 2024 campaign trail at our Planet Chronicle Digital election hub.