Pro-choice activists in South Dakota began a petition drive to allow voters to choose whether or not to back put the state's newly passed ban on almost all abortions.
Under South Dakota law, if opponents of the ban are able to collect 16,278 signatures asking for the referendum, the law will automatically be placed on hold until the referendum is held in November. As of now, the abortion ban is scheduled to take effect on July 1.
State Representative Elaine Roberts told reporters, 'The vast majority of South Dakotans are somewhere in the middle [on abortion]. They have mixed feelings on this issue.'
The deadline for collecting the signatures is June 19 if the issue is to appear on this November's ballot.
The South Dakota law bans abortions except in cases where the mother's life is in immediate jeopardy. No exceptions are made for rape or incest.
The new law will be challenged in court if the petition drive falls short of the necessary number of signatures or if the referendum is defeated. But for now, abortion rights advocates seem determined to fight back within the local political system.
