Americans Vote for Abortion Rights in Kansas

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Americans Vote for Abortion¹ Rights in Kansas

In a major victory for abortion rights, voters in the U.S. state of Kansas on Tuesday rejected a ballot² proposal that could have led to restrictions³ or a ban on abortion.

It was the first time Americans could vote on the issue since the U.S. Supreme⁴ Court overturned Roe⁵ v. Wade⁶. The decision last June ended the constitutional right to abortion on the federal level and left the decision to the states. Abortion is a medical operation that ends a pregnancy⁷.

In Kansas, the state's highest court called abortion a "fundamental" right under state law in 2019. And the law permitted abortions⁸ up to 22 weeks of pregnancy. So Republican lawmakers proposed a ballot measure to change the state's constitution. If approved, the measure would state that Kansas law did not guarantee the right to an abortion.

Tuesday's vote in Kansas drew higher-than-expected turnout. With most of the ballots⁹ counted, 59 percent of voters favored preserving abortion rights compared to nearly 41 percent who supported removing abortion protections from the state constitution.

American President Joe Biden said in statement: "This vote makes clear what we know: The majority of Americans believe that women should have access to abortion and the right to make their own health care decisions."

Biden also called on Congress to pass legislation to bring back the right to abortion and asked Americans "to use their voices to protect the right to women's health care, including abortion."

Mallory Carroll is a spokesperson for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, a group that supports an abortion ban. She called the result "a huge disappointment." The group had spent over $1 million and talked with people at 250,000 homes throughout Kansas.

Neal Allen is a political science professor at Wichita State University in Kansas. He called Tuesday's vote a "wake-up call for abortion opponents." Allen told Reuters that voters came out on Tuesday because they believed lawmakers would push for a total ban on abortion.

Stephanie Kostreva is a healthcare worker in the Kansas City area. She told the Associated Press that she voted for the ballot measure but is not fully¹⁰ against abortion. She said there are times when an abortion is necessary.

"I know there are medical emergencies, and when the mother's life is in danger there is no reason for two people to die."

Other states may have similar proposals on the ballot this autumn. Voters will get questions about abortion in Vermont, Kentucky, California and possibly Michigan.

The Guttmacher Institute is an organization that supports abortion rights. It says 26 American states are likely to ban abortion since Roe has been overturned.

Words in This Story

fundamental – adj. relating to the most important part of something, a basic right

turnout – adj. used to describe the number of people who came to an event, such as a vote

access – n. a way of getting to something or something being available

disappointment – n. the feeling of being upset about an unexpected result, or being let down

wake-up call – a phrase meaning to take something seriously

1 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

2 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

3 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

4 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

5 roe   

n.鱼卵；獐鹿

参考例句：

• We will serve smoked cod's roe at the dinner.宴会上我们将上一道熏鳕鱼子。
• I'll scramble some eggs with roe?我用鱼籽炒几个鸡蛋好吗？

6 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

7 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

8 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

9 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。