PROTECT OUR RIGHTS STATEMENT ON ELECTION RESULTS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 6, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT: media@protectourrights.com
OMAHA, NE — Allie Berry, Campaign Manager for Protect Our Rights, issued the following statement after the November 5 election results:
“Last night’s outcome was not what we wanted, but more than 400,000 Nebraskans voted for reproductive freedom and to protect their rights. This includes people harmed by the current abortion ban and hundreds of medical professionals who work directly with Nebraska families.
We knew it was going to be a close race, given the extraordinary political interference and millions of dollars spent to spread lies about our campaign. Politicians have made the ultimate power grab in Nebraska. They launched and spent over $13 million on an aggressive misinformation campaign with one goal— to confuse voters into giving up their reproductive rights. From misrepresenting their measure during the petition process to plagiarizing ads and even using government officials to spread misinformation, conservatives, and anti-abortion activists debuted a dangerous new playbook to undermine reproductive access here and across the country. Now, Nebraska politicians are one step closer to passing a total abortion ban, which Gov. Pillen has promised to sign.
While today is a disappointing day, the fight for our fundamental rights and freedoms never ends. Over 400,000 Nebraskans came together to protect those rights. We will not ignore their voices. We will come together and continue to organize and strategize for reproductive freedom.”
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Launched in response to the 12-week abortion ban, Protect Our Rights was a community-led initiative to end the ban and stop political overreach in private healthcare decisions. The campaign sought to overturn the state abortion ban by protecting legal abortion access to fetal viability in the state constitution, ensuring Nebraskans, particularly those with pregnancy complications like fatal fetal anomalies, get the care they need without delays. In July 2024, Protect Our Rights submitted over 207,000 petitions to qualify for the November ballot—the most of any 2024 ballot measure in Nebraska. In August 2024, the campaign beat two lawsuits filed by anti-abortion activists with the Nebraska Supreme Court unanimously with the campaign. In September 2024, Protect Our Rights received ballot initiative number 439. More than 437,000 voted for Initiative 439 in the November 2024 election. The coalition of supporters included every day Nebraskans and Omaha Women’s Fund, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska, ACLU of Nebraska, Nebraska Civic Engagement Table, Nebraska Appleseed, Nebraska Abortion Resources, and I Be Black Girl. Per the Nebraska Board of Canvassers, the state must certify these results by December 2, and then Gov. Pillen has ten days to issue a proclamation to formally change the constitution.