Effort to enshrine right to abortion in Maine Constitution comes up short in first votes

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — An effort to amend the Maine Constitution to enshrine the right to an abortion has come up short of the necessary threshold in initial votes, giving the resolution dim prospects moving forward.

The Maine House voted 76-68 Tuesday in favor of the proposal but failed to reach the two-thirds majority that would be needed to send it to voters for ratification. The same thing happened last week in the Senate, which voted 20-13 in favor.

Each chamber will get a final vote before the end of the session, scheduled for next week.

Planned Parenthood took a positive view of the vote, noting that a majority of lawmakers support the proposed amendment.

“More of our elected leaders will need to vote for this bill during the next round in both legislative chambers. Every lawmaker can count on Mainers taking note of whether their elected representatives chose to let Mainers have a voice at the ballot box or whether their lawmakers chose to silence them,” said Lisa Margulies of the Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund.

Republican lawmakers called the votes political theater, saying the outcome was a foregone conclusion.

But the roll call votes in both chambers ensure that lawmakers will be on record on where they stand, Democrats said.

Maine is one of several states considering ballot measures dealing with abortion this year or next.