Last year’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade proved to be a major galvanizing moment for people who support abortion rights in communities across the country as some bans already on the books began to go into effect. One of those states is Michigan, where a grassroots coalition had growing concerns about an archaic 1931 abortion ban that could go into effect if the Supreme Court overturned Roe, and had already been working to prepare. Their tireless work put abortion rights on the ballot with Proposition 3, which secures the right to reproductive freedom in Michigan, protecting abortion, prenatal care, birth control, and all reproductive health care. The ballot measure passed with overwhelming support in the 2022 midterm elections, and lawmakers quickly got to work to fully repeal the 1931 ban. This week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer made the repeal official.
This victory for abortion rights is the result of years of planning and organizing led by ACLU of Michigan, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, and Michigan Voices. It’s an example of the power of grassroots organizing and the everyday citizens who volunteered to knock on doors, gather signatures, and show up together in coalition to fight for change. It also shows the importance of planning ahead in anticipation of decisions and policies that could impact civil rights and liberties.
Here’s how the long road to victory unfolded: