Great news today! A new poll of 800 registered voters shows that South Dakotans oppose the abortion ban 52-42, with 6 percent undecided. This is the bill signed into law by Governor Mike Rounds earlier this year that bans abortion, with no exception for survivors of rape and incest, and no exception for the mother's health. Pro-choice activists collected 37,000 signatures to put it on the ballot as Referred Law 6.
The full article is here: http://argusleader.com/...
I am so relieved to hear these numbers because the anti-choice groups have flooded the airwaves with misleading ads and there are Yes on 6 (anti-choice) yard signs everywhere. The Campaign for Healthy Families (the No on 6 group) has been doing a great job.
I know a lot of people here in South Dakota who normally don't pay much attention to politics that have volunteered or donated money for the first time because of this issue.
There are a number of first time legislative candidates running for office this year because of the excesses of the right wing, and the abortion ban is the main example of that in South Dakota. Now we just have to work 'round the clock on GOTV through November 7.
Jack Billion is the pro-choice Democratic challenger to Mike Rounds and he could use your help. We really need to fight Mike Rounds even if the abortion ban is going to be voted down, because Rounds is going to run for Senate in 2008 if he is reelected. The Jack Billion campaign website is http://www.billionforgovernor.com/
If you are in South Dakota, I strongly suggest that you volunteer to make GOTV phone calls or knock on doors for the Campaign for Healthy Families or your favorite Democratic candidate in these last few days of the campaign.