(NewsNation) — Police in Florida are showing up at voters’ homes to confirm whether they signed a petition seeking to get an abortion rights amendment on the ballot.
The ballot initiative —Amendment 4 — would overturn a six-week abortion ban and keep the medical procedure legal in Florida until the fetus is viable. Sixty percent of voters would need to approve of the measure in order for it to pass.
On Monday, Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis defended police visiting petition signers’ homes, saying he wants November’s election to remain fair. The state’s health care agency also created a website targeting the ballot initiative.
Critics, however, say the petition investigation and anti-Amendment 4 website are efforts to intimidate voters and block access to abortion.
What is Amendment 4?
The proposed amendment says “no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”
If passed, parents would need to be notified before a minor in their care could receive an abortion — an exception that’s already laid out in the state’s constitution.
Florida currently bans most abortions after six weeks, legislation that was passed after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Many people don’t yet know they’re pregnant at that stage.
Why is Florida investigating petition signatures?
DeSantis signed a law in 2022 creating a state police force dedicated to investigating voter fraud and election crimes. Voter fraud is rare and is usually detected when it happens. Instances are usually isolated, not widespread, The Associated Press reported.
Florida’s Office of Election Crimes and Security said it’s “concerned” about allegations that election supervisors verified fake signatures on a petition that qualified the proposed amendment to appear on the November ballot. That’s according to a letter from Deputy Secretary of State Brad McVay that the AP obtained.
In January, state elections officials confirmed more than 997,000 verified signatures — 100,000 more than were required.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
