Missouri voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to repeal the state’s 2024 constitutional provision guaranteeing “reproductive freedom.” The proposed Amendment 3 would require a simple majority to pass.

The 2024 Amendment 3 received just under 52% of the vote. Courts later used it to strike down many Missouri pro-life laws, leaving nearly all such protections unenforceable, including the state’s prohibition on abortions selected because of a child’s race or sex.

Proposed abortion restrictions

The new measure would prohibit most abortions while creating exceptions for medical emergencies, fatal fetal anomalies, and rape or incest during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. It would also permit the reinstatement of protections such as a 72-hour waiting period.

Amendment 3 would additionally prohibit hormones, puberty blockers and surgeries for gender transition for minors. Missouri’s existing ban on those procedures, passed in 2023, is scheduled to expire in August 2027.

Jamie Morris said the vote could provide an opportunity to restore legal protections for women and unborn children. “This vote may be the best chance we have in the near future to reinstate protections for mothers and their preborn children,” Morris said.

Bishops urge support

Missouri’s four bishops urged Catholics to support Amendment 3 in statements issued in March and October. Catholics across the state have organized prayer rallies and placed yard signs supporting the measure.

Missouri is one of four states with an abortion-related ballot question on Nov. 3, and it is the only one presenting a pro-life measure, according to the supplied election information.

Polling has shown an unsettled contest. A YouGov poll in February suggested the amendment would pass, while another YouGov poll in August indicated it would fail. An October Remington Research poll found the measure tied at 43% to 43%.

Sam Lee said a Missouri victory could encourage states where abortion-related constitutional amendments have also been adopted. “If Missouri can overturn a pro-abortion constitutional amendment, then that will give hope to other states,” Lee said.

The 2026 vote follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The proposed Missouri amendment will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot.