With the job of appointing new Supreme Court justices on the shoulders of the winner of the presidential election, the candidates' differences on the abortion stance are critical.
The Bush administration has made it clear that they are pro-life and will not necessarily appoint judges who will support Roe v. Wade
said Susan Gwinn, chair of the Athens County Democratic Party. And John Kerry has made it clear that he will appoint judges that will support Roe v. Wade.
Several judges are nearing retirement, so as many as four judges could be appointed during the next four years, Gwinn said.
With more anti-abortion justices on the Supreme Court, there would be an increased possibility of the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision asserting the right of a woman to have an abortion.
According to What if Roe Fell? a new study published by the Center for Reproductive Rights, a non-profit legal advocacy organization promoting abortion rights, 20 states, including Ohio, would likely enforce the abortion ban if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
A lot of people don't realize that when Roe goes -if Roe goes -it does go back to the people in the state legislature said Denise Mackura, Executive Director of the Ohio Right to Life Society.
According to the report, many states have pre-Roe abortion bans that could be reinforced after the reversal.
Ohio has no current legislation banning or protecting abortion and is included as a high-risk state to lose its abortion rights, according to the report.
Mackura believes there is not enough support right now in both the Ohio House and Senate to enact a law banning abortion, she said.
The good people of Ohio would want to ban most abortions
said Mackura. However, that would not happen immediately
and there would be quite a struggle in the hearts and minds of Ohioans.
If Roe fell, there would be a very intense debate between people adamant on both sides, said Joy Padgett, R-Coshocton. It would be more of a social-value debate than a partisan debate, she said.
In 2003, more than 40 new bills were introduced in the states that would ban all or some abortion procedures, according to the report.
Our general population is becoming more pro-life
said Padgett, who is strongly anti-abortion. I don't find nearly the advocacy of pro-choice that I found in the '90s.
Opinion polls indicate nationally that people are becoming more pro-life, said Mackura. Young people are particularly more so than their parents were.
Padgett accredits this shift in thinking to easier adoption, more counseling and pregnancy distress centers and legislation that allows a birth mother to drop a newborn off at a safe place.
Terry Anderson, her Democratic opponent for state Senate, refused to comment on the abortion issue.
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Ellie Behling
