Voters in Alabama and West Virginia passed similar amendments to their state constitutions Tuesday to support the “rights of unborn children” and recognize that their state constitutions provide no right to abortion or funding of abortion.
Alabama amendment 2 declared that the state supported "the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, including the right to life," and ensured “the protection of the rights of the unborn child in all manners and measures lawful and appropriate." It also clarified "nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion."
The amendment passed with a vote of 59 percent in favor versus 40 percent against, with 90 percent of precincts reporting.
“It’s going to be a testament to the conservative values of Alabama. It’s also going to be a victory for truth because we were massively outspent $1.4 million [from Planned Parenthood] to $8,000 dollars,” Rick Renshaw, of the Alliance for a Pro-Life Alabama commented.
Planned Parenthood reportedly donated $1.38 million to Alabama for Healthy Families, who opposed the amendment.
West Virginia’s Amendment 1 stated that nothing in the state Constitution "secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of abortion."
That amendment passed by a vote of 52 percent in favor and 48 percent against, with 99 percent of precincts reporting.
“Over the years, West Virginia taxpayers have been forced to fund the destruction of more than 35,000 innocent unborn children – including late-term abortions – at a cost of nearly 10 million dollars," Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser said following the amendment’s passage. "This outrageous abuse ends now. SBA List’s field team spent months on the ground in West Virginia educating more than 110,000 voters, urging them to vote yes on this vital initiative. The passage of Amendment 1 is a victory for the Mountain State and we hope other states will follow their lead.”
SBA List spent $500,000 to inform West Virginia voters about amendment.