U.S. — Voters in Nevada, Virginia, and Missouri will decide on at least three ballot measures concerning abortion policy in 2026. These measures include a proposed constitutional right to abortion in Nevada, an initiative to establish reproductive freedom in Virginia, and an attempt in Missouri to repeal a reproductive freedom amendment approved by voters in 2024.

Nevada Question 6, which seeks to establish a state constitutional right to an abortion, was placed on the ballot through a citizen initiative. This measure would permit the state to regulate abortion after fetal viability, with exceptions for cases where it is medically necessary to protect the pregnant patient's life or health. Since citizen-initiated constitutional amendments in Nevada require approval in two even-numbered election years, voters will decide on this issue for the second time in 2026, having approved it by a 64.4% to 35.6% margin in 2024.

In Virginia, legislative action placed the Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment on the ballot. This amendment would modify the state Constitution to establish the right to reproductive freedom, defined as the right to make decisions regarding all matters related to one's pregnancy. Organizations describing themselves as pro-choice or pro-reproductive rights support the measures in both Nevada and Virginia.

Missouri Amendment 3, also placed on the ballot by state legislators, would repeal the constitutional right to reproductive freedom that voters approved in 2024. In that year, Missouri voters passed the original amendment by a margin of 52.6% to 48.4%. If approved, Missouri Amendment 3 would prohibit abortion except in cases of medical emergency, fetal anomaly, rape, or incest. Abortions in cases of rape or incest would be permitted only through 12 weeks of gestation. Additionally, Missouri Amendment 3 would ban specific medical procedures for transgender minors. Groups identifying as pro-life generally support the Missouri measure, while one pro-life group and organizations describing themselves as pro-choice oppose it.

The 2026 ballots follow a record year for abortion-related measures, with 11 such initiatives decided by voters in 2024. This number represented the most in a single year since 1970. From 1970 through 2025, voters decided a total of 65 abortion-related measures. During this period, 44 measures supported by organizations identifying as pro-life were on ballots, with 12 approved and 32 rejected. Conversely, 21 measures supported by organizations identifying as pro-choice or pro-reproductive rights were on ballots, with 15 approved and six rejected.

Why It Matters

The upcoming ballot measures in Nevada, Virginia, and Missouri represent continuing efforts to define abortion access and reproductive rights through direct voter action at the state level. These measures reflect contrasting approaches to abortion policy, with Nevada and Virginia focused on establishing or cementing reproductive freedom, and Missouri considering a repeal of a recently approved right to reproductive freedom. Additional abortion measures with support from groups describing themselves as pro-choice could also qualify for ballots in Colorado and Idaho.