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Excerpt from boltsmag.org
An initiative to protect abortion access in Arizona has gathered more signatures than it needs to make the November ballot. If it passes, it wouldn’t be the first time Arizonans have used direct democracy to enshrine rights directly relevant to women. A popular initiative gave Arizona women the right to vote in 1912, years before the 19th Amendment brought suffragists nationwide victory.
Getting a measure on the ballot is expensive and onerous, says Dawn Penich, a spokesperson for Arizona for Abortion Access, the organization behind this year’s measure. But her group is determined to champion it to restore abortion rights and overcome restrictions put in place by Arizona Republicans. They’ve raised over $12 million to recruit hundreds of volunteers, train them, and send them out to canvas in high-traffic areas under the blazing desert sun. Their goal: get at least 383,923 Arizonans who are registered to vote to sign a petition so it qualifies for the ballot.
“It is grueling work,” Penich said. “I’m out in the field, on the streets, at trailheads with our volunteers many days a week.”
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