Supporters and opponents of abortion rights in Florida are ramping up their final efforts to reach voters before Election Day with messages they hope will sway opinions on Amendment 4.
The item on the November ballot would, with 60% approval of voters, amend the state constitution to expand access to abortion until a fetus is viable, replacing the state's six-week ban on most abortions.
The current law, which took effect on May 1, 2024, has exceptions for the pregnant woman鈥檚 health, and for victims of rape and incest up to 15 weeks of pregnancy.
The language of Amendment 4, formally titled 鈥淎mendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion,鈥� reads: "No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient鈥檚 health, as determined by the patient鈥檚 healthcare provider. This amendment does not change the Legislature鈥檚 constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion."
Among those pushing a "No" vote is Archbishop Thomas Wenski, who heads the Archdiocese of Miami.
"Every human being should be protected by law and welcomed in life at any stage of his development from conception till natural death," he told WLRN.
鈥淚 tell people, 鈥楲isten, I'm a bishop. I don鈥檛 have a Glock on my hip.鈥� So I can鈥檛 impose my views on anybody,鈥� he said to WLRN. 鈥淭he only thing I can do is make my proposal.鈥�
His proposal is for voters to reject Amendment 4. The Archdiocese has with videos and written arguments against it. He has asked clergy at his churches to educate parishioners about the ballot item.
鈥淓ven those that might be in favor of abortion in some circumstances should find things in this amendment, things that would concern them,鈥� Wenski said.
Wenski and other opponents point to the amendment language 鈥� the focus of many videos and social media posts put out by the 鈥溾�� campaign, under Florida Voters Against Extremism. This political action committee has received more than $322,000 from the Archdiocese of Miami.
In one ad, a narrator says Amendment 4 would not allow any law to restrict abortion before viability, 鈥渂ut never defines viability鈥�.
Campaign Launches to Defeat
— Vote No on 4 FL (@VoteNoOn4FL)
The Deceptive and Extreme Amendment 4
WATCH NOW and Learn More:
Viability is defined in as 鈥渢he stage of fetal development when the life of a fetus is sustainable outside the womb through standard medical measures鈥�, which is typically agreed to begin around 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Florida Physicians a group of doctors around the state, take issue with other words in the text of the amendment, and words that are left out 鈥� like "doctor".
In one post on the group's Instagram account, Dr. Anthony Pohlgeers, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist in Florida, lists them: "How do they define 'patient's health'? Who is this 'healthcare provider'? Where is the mention of physician? And what's up with notification without requirement for parental consent in minors that present for an abortion? Too many questions, not enough answers. I'm voting no on Amendment 4 and I hope you do, too."
READ MORE: Liberals and conservatives try energizing voters with Florida's abortion amendment
Supporters of Amendment 4, have been focusing their messaging on what they call government overreach from Florida鈥檚 strict six-week ban on almost all abortions.
The PAC behind Amendment 4, Floridians Protecting Freedom, launched a paid ad campaign, 鈥溾��, in September that also includes doctors in the state.
鈥淭he ban鈥ould send doctors like me to prison just for treating my patients,鈥� said Dr. Jerry Goodman, a Sarasota specialist in obstetrics in gynecology, in a recent ad. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 terrifying and it鈥檚 why I鈥檓 voting yes on 4 to end the ban, so government can鈥檛 stop women from getting life saving care.鈥�
馃┖ With just eight weeks until Election Day, Dr. Goodman鈥檚 voice is a crucial reminder of what鈥檚 at stake. We must ensure doctors can provide the best care to their patients without fearing prison. Vote YES on 4 to keep medical decisions where they belong: between patients and鈥�
— Yes on 4 Florida (@yes4florida)
Other supporters are going door-to-door, like , an organization focused on voter education and mobilization.
鈥淚t is our official first day in Palm Beach County!鈥� said Devon Murphy-Anderson to Mi Vecino colleagues who were clapping on a hot Monday, afternoon in Palm Springs. They're gathered in a parking lot before heading out for canvassing.
Murphy-Anderson, who鈥檚 Mi Vecino鈥檚 co-founder and chief executive officer, is also Catholic. She supports abortion rights, like 6 out of 10 Catholics in the U.S., according to the
鈥淎 lot of the folks here are Catholic. We understand the core principles of Catholicism, which is that we are gifted free will and conscience from God,鈥� she told WLRN.
One of Mi Vecino鈥檚 lead canvassers, Alexander Valdes, stopped at the home of one voter in Palm Beach County who said he didn't know much about the ballot item.
鈥淢ost people are not always online following politics,鈥� Valdes said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e just living regular lives. They鈥檙e doing what they have to do, but politics does very much affect them.鈥�
The latest polls show a large percentage of likely Florida voters 鈥� at least one in five 鈥� are still trying to make up their mind about Amendment 4. Those polls also show support for the amendment is about 55% 鈥� less than the 60% required for passage.
鈥淭hese voters that don鈥檛 know how they would vote if faced with the ballot initiative could go either way come November,鈥� said Luzmarina Garcia Ph.D., assistant professor of political science at FAU.
Mi Vecino has organized phone banking, like one in partnership with a group called Men4Choice on Sept. 6.
鈥淭his is not just a women鈥檚 issue. This is a man鈥檚 issue, and it鈥檚 a family issue,鈥� said Alex Berrios, Mi Vecino鈥檚 co-founder and chief operating officer, speaking to male volunteers about why they should get involved on this issue. 鈥淚t was really, really important to be able to have choices in life, opportunities in life, and I鈥檝e worked really, really hard to be able to provide those kind of choices and opportunities for my son.鈥�
If Amendment 4 passes with a 60% approval, legal experts predict the language surrounding undefined terms of an abortion will be challenged in court.
