Colo. Certifies Signatures To Allow 'Personhood' Ballot Initiative In November

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Abortion
Article Date: 02 Jun 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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On Thursday, Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman (R) certified that a proposal to define a fertilized embryo as a person and extend to it rights and protections under the Colorado Constitution had enough valid signatures to be placed on the November ballot, the AP/Google.com reports. Supporters of the initiative, including the group Colorado for Equal Rights, submitted 130,000 signatures to place the initiative on the ballot, well in excess of the 76,000 required under the law, Coffman said. Coffman's office examined a random sample of 6,500 signatures, or 5%, and determined that 103,000 signatures were valid. According to Coffman's spokesperson Rich Coolidge, the sampling method to determine whether signatures are valid was established by a state law (Elliott, AP/Google.com, 5/29).

The initiative is seeking to amend the state constitution to define "any human being from the moment of fertilization" as a "person" for purposes of the state's constitutional provisions "relating to inalienable rights, equality of justice and due process of law" (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 5/15). Opponents of the initiative -- including the coalition Protect Families, Protect Choices - have said the proposal is "vague and deceptive" and could lead to restrictions on abortion, hormonal contraception and in vitro fertilization. The measure will appear as Amendment 48 on Colorado's general election ballot.

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Although the proposal does not explicitly ban abortion, both supporters and opponents have said it could provide the legal framework to criminalize the procedure, according to the Post (Draper, Denver Post, 5/29). Crystal Clinkenbeard -- a spokesperson for Protect Families, Protect Choices -- said, "Defining an egg as a person in our constitution and statutes isn't science-based and makes bad public policy." Clinkenbeard added that her organization will campaign against the proposal but has no plans to challenge the placement of the initiative on the ballot. "We've decided to challenge it in the court of public opinion," she said, adding that voters have previously rejected ballot initiatives that "restrict health care access and place the government in the midst of private decisions" (AP/Google.com, 5/29).

Colorado for Equal Rights founder Kristi Burton, a 20-year-old law student, said the initiative is a "historic effort to ensure equal rights for every person" (Denver Post, 5/29). Burton added that the group plans to target the 20% of voters that she says polls show are opposed to abortion but do not want to impose their views on others. "Our job is to put the truth out there for the voters," she said, adding, "Science is on our side" (AP/Google.com, 5/29).

Denver Post Examines Response to Initiative by Political Candidates

The Post on Friday examined the initiative's potential effect on candidates in Colorado running for political office in the November election. According to analysts, the initiative "could be a speed bump" for candidates who are trying to gain support from moderate and independent voters.

Denver-based political analyst Floyd Ciruli said many antiabortion candidates are not addressing abortion-related issues this year because voters are more concerned with other issues, such as the economy and the war in Iraq. Ciruli said that if the initiative is "perceived as very radical" among voters, it could "hurt a candidate with more moderate voters." However, he added that antiabortion candidates who do not endorse the measure could alienate their base.

According to the Post, calls to a spokesperson for U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer (R) were not returned. Taylor West -- spokesperson for Rep. Mark Udall (D), Schaffer's opponent in the Senate race -- said that Udall "has been very clear that he does not support [the initiative]. Schaffer has been refusing to take a position. He's trying to hide how far out he is on the issue."

Joe Bretell, a spokesperson for Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R), would not comment on the initiative except to say that Musgrave signed the petition to place it on the ballot. Musgrave's opponent, Betsy Markey (D), opposes the measure. "It's an extreme right-wing tactic," Markey spokesperson Anne Caprara said, adding, "This will shine a light on Marilyn Musgrave" (Draper, Denver Post, 5/30).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

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