Gabrielle Russon
Reproductive rights advocates are setting up tents on college quads across Florida to build momentum for November’s election as college students return to classes this Fall.
It’s part of a mobilizing effort targeting 24 schools, from major institutions like University of Florida and Florida State University to smaller schools.
“The youth vote is fundamental to our victory in November because young people are some of the most directly impacted by Florida’s abortion ban,” said Natasha Sutherland, spokesperson for Floridians Protecting Freedom, which is sponsoring Amendment 4 to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution.
Florida’s six-week abortion ban went into effect in May, and some young people don’t know it exists, Sutherland said.
Part of the group’s efforts to build support is giving information on the ban and Amendment 4 during Welcome Week and then meeting with campus groups over the ongoing weeks and months. Finally, the campaign will follow up with voter pledges.
“We’re going to be doing presentations with student groups all over the state to educate them, No. 1, on the fact that there is a near total abortion ban in Florida, because a lot of folks just don’t know that until they need care,” Sutherland said. “But No. 2, for them to also understand what Amendment 4 is.”
Sutherland acknowledged the campaign is expecting a “razor-thin” margin to get at least 60% of the vote to pass.
“I believe we can do it, but it’s going to take having these events and conversations in order for us to get there,” she said Friday.
One poll showed Amendment 4 is projected to fail, while another showed support could measure closer to 69%. What’s clear in both polls is that a large number of voters are still undecided.
The campaign is also facing headwinds from opposition as Gov. Ron DeSantis, Republicans in power and the Catholic church fight against it.
The latest obstacle for the Amendment 4 campaign: a financial impact statement that will be printed on ballots under the initiative’s wording.
A state panel with Florida’s top economist became a partisan fight when a DeSantis representative and a staff member from the Heritage Foundation led the efforts to craft the new financial impact statement.
The statement says, in part: “The proposed amendment would result in significantly more abortions and fewer live births per year in Florida. The increase in abortions could be even greater if the amendment invalidates laws requiring parental consent before minors undergo abortions and those ensuring only licensed physicians perform abortions. There is also uncertainty about whether the amendment will require the state to subsidize abortions with public funds. Litigation to resolve those and other uncertainties will result in additional costs to the state government.”
Amendment 4 complained that the statement is deliberately misleading voters and is a dirty political trick.
18 comments
rbruce
August 16, 2024 at 4:20 pm
Ask abortion supporting college students where will they be if their mothers aborted them?
Bompas
August 17, 2024 at 11:46 am
Amen!
Ocean Joe
August 29, 2024 at 6:57 pm
Been to college lately? If you asked college kids that they’d laugh and then go to a science class.
MarvinM
August 17, 2024 at 11:28 am
The new financial impact statement that the Florida government insisted be added is so incredibly misleading. And it does not address the fiscal impact that will happen if the amendment doesn’t pass. With a current 6-week abortion ban, more women will be bearing children, they will qualify for medicaid, the kids will qualify for KidCare, and if the women choose to give up their child for adoption (often the most caring choice) it will be a burden on the already over-stressed, under-supervised (for abuse) foster care system.
All of that is super costly in terms of money, and does not even address the potential human toll – women being left to be near death, leaving their other children without a mother, jeopardizing their health, including their future reproductive health, because a doctor is too afraid to perform a needed abortion because of possible litigation. Amendment 4 will relieve doctors of that burden in most cases. It’s not perfect, but it will help save lives and families from losing their mothers.
Let people make the decision that is right for them in their individual circumstances. Vote yes on four.
Bompas
August 17, 2024 at 11:46 am
Get out of Florida you murderer and stay away from babies….there are MANY agencies and support to help and support mothers.. too bad your mom didn’t rid herself of you demon. you’ll be facing God at some point you sick b
cassandra was right
August 18, 2024 at 11:42 am
It’s the woman’s body. It’s the woman’s choice.
“For our law to compel defendant to submit to an intrusion of his body would change every concept and principle upon which our society is founded. To do so would defeat the sanctity of the individual and would impose a rule which would know no limits, and one could not imagine where the line would be drawn…For a society which respects the rights of one individual, to sink its teeth into the jugular vein or neck of one of its members and suck from it sustenance for another member, is revolting to our hard-wrought concepts of jurisprudence.” ——-McFall v Shimp
Vote YES on 4
Ocean Joe
August 29, 2024 at 6:49 pm
Does your statement apply to Donald J Trump, since he now claims to support Amendment 4?
Should Donald Trump get out of Florida too? I’ll help him pack!
John
August 19, 2024 at 8:17 am
Inconvenience is not justification.
cassandra was right
August 20, 2024 at 8:21 am
What makes you think women and girls are having abortions for “convenience”?
Citation?
cassandra was right
August 20, 2024 at 9:41 am
LOL, it’s just ridiculous that you Project 2025ers think women need to run their decisions by a bunch of men like you for approval! You people really ***are*** weird! Women’s bodies aren’t public utilities for a Christian Nationalist fantasy kingdom. IT’S THE WOMEN’S BODY. IT’S THE WOMAN’S CHOICE. PERIOD
I cited an important case (McFall v Shimp), in which the judge warned of the dangers of allowing the government to force the use of one person’s body to save the life of another, (convenient or not). You should read it.
Bompas
August 17, 2024 at 11:44 am
your “victory”?! murderers! “The youth vote is fundamental to our victory in November” sick demonic ….stay away from the kids…you might want to kill them too.
rick whitaker
August 17, 2024 at 5:46 pm
BOMPAS, sounds like the jesus lies have made you bat shit crazy.
John Whittaker
August 19, 2024 at 8:17 am
When did Jesus lie?
rick whitaker
August 19, 2024 at 8:23 am
JOHN WHITTAKER, the pack of lies called the holly bible, haven’t you heard of it. it’s sometimes referred to as ” the greatest lie ever told “. i don’t take it on faith when i know it’s a lie. there is no heaven you fool.
cassandra was right
August 18, 2024 at 12:04 pm
If you think your bible bans abortion or calls it “murder”, cite book, chapter, and verse right now.
Btw, Your anti-woman hate speech is as abhorrent as antisemitic and racist hate speech.
Vote YES on Amendment 4
Ocean Joe
August 29, 2024 at 6:51 pm
Your current Messiah, Donald Trump supports Amendment 4!
How do you feel about that?
VoteYesOn4
August 17, 2024 at 4:31 pm
Bompass, you seem conflicted with your beliefs, “too bad your mom didn’t rid herself of you”, of other commenters. Don’t confuse women’s health-care and decisions that are not relevant to your miserable life.
Your posts should be monitored by security, not a moderater.
Delusions
August 25, 2024 at 11:54 am
Obstacle and barrier is not a excuse to take a learning time away from humans
Comments are closed.