CARSON CITY — A prominent Nevada abortion-rights coalition announced a $1 million ad campaign this week aimed at persuading voters to again approve a constitutional amendment safeguarding abortion access.
Why the repeat vote?
The measure seeks to convert protections approved by Nevada voters in 2024 into language enshrined in the state constitution. Backers say doing so would increase the difficulty of future attempts to restrict abortion because a constitutional amendment would require additional rounds of voter approval to be undone.
Under current state law, abortion remains legal up to 24 weeks after conception, a result of the 2024 ballot initiative that passed with about 64 percent of the vote. But because state rules require a second vote to finalize a constitutional amendment, supporters say the new ad campaign is intended to ensure turnout among voters who backed reproductive rights two years ago.
Campaign and messaging
Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom, the coalition behind the ad buy, is running a digital advertisement aimed at reminding voters who support abortion access to return to the polls and vote to enshrine the protections. The ad also targets Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican, contrasting his record with the coalition’s goals.
“Access to health care should not be up for grabs by anti-abortion politicians. Governor Joe Lombardo has repeatedly used his office to undermine reproductive freedom, violating the will of voters. In 2024, two thirds of Nevadans voted to protect abortion access, and this year is our opportunity to make those protections permanent,” Denise Lopez, president of the coalition, said in a statement.
The ad highlights Lombardo’s response to the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, his support for an abortion ban in the state and his veto of a bill that would have protected access to birth control methods, including emergency contraceptives and IUDs, according to the coalition.
Political landscape and stakes
The campaign comes as Lombardo campaigns for reelection against Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford in a race that national analysts view as highly competitive. The Cook Political Report has labeled the contest a “toss-up,” and reproductive rights have been a prominent element of Ford’s campaign messaging.
Supporters argue that enshrining abortion protections into the constitution would create a more durable safeguard for reproductive health care, while opponents contend the issue should be debated through the legislative process or left to voters in separate contexts. The new campaign aims to ensure voters who favor protections do not take the second required vote for granted.
Regional context
Nevada is one of four states with abortion questions on the November ballot this year, along with Missouri, Virginia and Idaho. In Nevada’s case, supporters are asking voters to approve the constitutional language for a second time, following the 2024 approval of statutory protections.
| Year | Measure | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Abortion access up to 24 weeks (statutory) | Passed — ~64% |
| 2026 | Constitutional amendment to enshrine protections | Voter decision pending |
What voters should know
- The 2026 measure would place abortion protections in the Nevada Constitution, making future changes more difficult.
- Supporters are spending to boost turnout among voters who backed the 2024 statute.
- The issue intersects directly with the tightly contested governor’s race between Joe Lombardo and Aaron Ford.
The funding for the ad campaign signals that reproductive-rights groups see the constitutional question as pivotal to securing lasting protections in Nevada, particularly after the substantial margin of approval for the 2024 measure. How much the advertising will move voters in a closely watched midterm remains to be seen, as Nevadans consider both the ballot question and high-profile statewide races this fall.
Reporting for this article included the coalition’s public statement and publicly available information on last election’s results and current ballot requirements.
