Political expert weighs in on voter turnout for abortion rights on November ballot

SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM) – Michigan voters will choose whether to place abortion rights in the state constitution this November.

This comes after the Michigan Supreme Court declared the Board of State Canvassers must sign off on the ballot question after the group of four deadlocked.

That decision follows a petition that gathered more than 700,000 signatures.

“I think it’s very likely to increase the turnout,” said Paul Rozycki, a retired Mott Community College political science professor.

Rozycki believes more voters than usual will cast their ballot in the November election.

“The abortion issue is probably the number one hot button issue that we’re seeing in the election this year,” Rozycki said.

Rozycki thinks there will be an influx of suburban women independent voters who will probably come out to vote and lean to the left.

“Some of the voters who will be motivated to turn out on the abortion issue are likely to vote more democratic than not,” Rozycki said.

Rozycki is quick to point out that a lot of voters taking part in the election will vote against the right to an abortion as well.

“I think that may well also be kind of a plus for some pro-life Republicans as well,” Rozycki said. “But at least the polls at the moment seem to show that the advantage tends to go for those who are on the pro-choice side of the issue.”

Rozycki believes at this point, supporters of abortion will have a lot to celebrate in November.

“I would expect, based upon current polls at least, that that proposal would likely pass maybe by 60 percent or so,” Rozycki said.

Rozycki is reminding everyone that polls are not actual votes.

“What’s true now may not be true in two months when the election takes place,” Rozycki said. “Things can change very very quickly. So, as they say, there’s no guarantee that those polls that are holding true now will determine the votes in November.”

The Michigan Election Board also voted to put a question on the November ballot about whether the state should expand opportunities to vote including through absentee and early voting after the Michigan Supreme Court ordered it to do so.

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