Late-Term Abortion Ban Initiative Makes It Onto November Ballot

DENVER (CBS4) - An initiative to ban late-term abortions in Colorado qualifies for the November 2020 ballot, says the Colorado Secretary of State's office on Monday. Proposed Initiative 120 gathered enough sufficient signatures needed to be placed on the ballot. Voters will decide its future.

Due-Date Too-Late campaign organizers submitted 137,624 signatures on March 4. They needed 124,632 valid signatures.

The Secretary of State's office notes an initial submission of signatures only returned 114,647 valid signatures - short of the required 124,632. After an order from a district court, the proponents were able to obtain an extension to secure additional signatures.

"That cure period to reach sufficiency began on May 15 and ended at 3 p.m. on Friday, May 29, at which time an additional 48,689 signatures were submitted," the office stated in a news release on Monday.

If Initiative 120 is approved, it would make performing an abortion after 22 weeks gestational age a class one misdemeanor unless a doctor determined the procedure was necessary to save the life of the mother.

Colorado is one of the only states in the country that allows abortions at any point in a pregnancy for any reason, but polls show even most pro-choice Coloradans want limits.

Line-By-Line Verification Summary:
Total number of qualified signatures lines 137,624
Total number of entries accepted (valid) 114,647
Total number of entries rejected (invalid) 22,977
Total number of valid signatures required for placement on ballot 124,632

Cure review:
Total number of qualified signature lines 48,689
Total number of entries accepted (valid) 38,557
Total number of entries rejected (invalid) 10,132
Total number of valid signatures from original submission 114,647
Total number of valid signatures 153,204

LINKS: Statement Of Insufficiency | Statement of Sufficiency