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| Colorado 'personhood' measure fails to collect enough signatures for ballot vote | Colorado 'personhood' measure fails to collect enough signatures for ballot vote |
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| The so-called "personhood" movement was dealt a significant blow on Wednesday, after it failed to get enough support for a ballot measure in Colorado. | The so-called "personhood" movement was dealt a significant blow on Wednesday, after it failed to get enough support for a ballot measure in Colorado. |
| The measure, which would define a fertilised egg as a person under the state constitution, thus banning abortions in the state, fell short by 4,000 of the 86,105 signatures it needed to qualify for the ballot in November, according to Scott Gessler, Colorado's secretary of state. | The measure, which would define a fertilised egg as a person under the state constitution, thus banning abortions in the state, fell short by 4,000 of the 86,105 signatures it needed to qualify for the ballot in November, according to Scott Gessler, Colorado's secretary of state. |
| This year, Personhood USA, the group behind the country-wide push for laws which would give fertilised eggs the same rights as people, has tried and failed in seven different states to secure enough signatures to make it a ballot measure for voters or to make the deadline required. | This year, Personhood USA, the group behind the country-wide push for laws which would give fertilised eggs the same rights as people, has tried and failed in seven different states to secure enough signatures to make it a ballot measure for voters or to make the deadline required. |
| It has failed in Oregon, Ohio, Nevada, Montana, Florida and California. The measure has been voted against in every state where it has appeared on the ballot, including the conservative state of Mississippi, which is currently trying to close its remaining abortion clinic, in 2011. | It has failed in Oregon, Ohio, Nevada, Montana, Florida and California. The measure has been voted against in every state where it has appeared on the ballot, including the conservative state of Mississippi, which is currently trying to close its remaining abortion clinic, in 2011. |
| The amendment aims to ban abortion, but medical experts and pro-choice campaigners have argued that it will also restrict access to birth control and fertility treatment. Infertility groups have urged members to vote against personhood amendments and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has condemned personhood laws or amendments as a "grave threat to women's health" by introducing measures that would ban some forms of contraception and life-saving treatment for ectopic and molar pregnancies, and restrict IVF treatment. | The amendment aims to ban abortion, but medical experts and pro-choice campaigners have argued that it will also restrict access to birth control and fertility treatment. Infertility groups have urged members to vote against personhood amendments and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has condemned personhood laws or amendments as a "grave threat to women's health" by introducing measures that would ban some forms of contraception and life-saving treatment for ectopic and molar pregnancies, and restrict IVF treatment. |
| The latest failure in Colorado marks the third attempt by pro-lifers to get it on the ballot there. The measure has steadily lost momentum in the state since 2008. Similar proposals then and in 2010, which made the ballot, failed after Coloradans voted against it by three to one. | The latest failure in Colorado marks the third attempt by pro-lifers to get it on the ballot there. The measure has steadily lost momentum in the state since 2008. Similar proposals then and in 2010, which made the ballot, failed after Coloradans voted against it by three to one. |
| A spokeswoman for Personhood USA said the secretary of state's count was wrong and vowed to challenge it. | A spokeswoman for Personhood USA said the secretary of state's count was wrong and vowed to challenge it. |
| Jennifer Mason, a spokeswoman for Personhood USA told the Guardian it would demand a recount and try again to place it on the ballot. She said: "We believe we have enough to place it on the ballot. We believe a number of ballot signatures were thrown out by the secretary of state." | Jennifer Mason, a spokeswoman for Personhood USA told the Guardian it would demand a recount and try again to place it on the ballot. She said: "We believe we have enough to place it on the ballot. We believe a number of ballot signatures were thrown out by the secretary of state." |
| She said that if there were notary errors, a whole petition of signatures could be discarded erroneously. Mason said she had hired an attorney and had 30 days to challenge the count. | She said that if there were notary errors, a whole petition of signatures could be discarded erroneously. Mason said she had hired an attorney and had 30 days to challenge the count. |
| Despite repeated setbacks, Mason said that Personhood USA will continue its efforts to get the amendment on the ballot next year or the year after in Ohio, Florida and Oregon, depending on their election agendas. | Despite repeated setbacks, Mason said that Personhood USA will continue its efforts to get the amendment on the ballot next year or the year after in Ohio, Florida and Oregon, depending on their election agendas. |
| She accused Planned Parenthood or running a "campaign of misinformation" about the measure but said they were determined to persevere. | She accused Planned Parenthood or running a "campaign of misinformation" about the measure but said they were determined to persevere. |
| Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains (PPRM) said that women all over Colorado were "signing with relief", describing the news as a victory for women's health. | Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains (PPRM) said that women all over Colorado were "signing with relief", describing the news as a victory for women's health. |
| Cathy Alderman, the vice-president of public affairs at PPRM said: "What this means in Colorado is a significant erosion of support for this measure. It goes too far, and people are afraid of the consequences which are detailed in the measure itself." | Cathy Alderman, the vice-president of public affairs at PPRM said: "What this means in Colorado is a significant erosion of support for this measure. It goes too far, and people are afraid of the consequences which are detailed in the measure itself." |
| "The personhood movement believes it has a lot of momentum. But when people realise how restrictive this measure is they are always going to vote against it. It could allow politicians and government to make private health decisions for women and voters are not OK with that." | "The personhood movement believes it has a lot of momentum. But when people realise how restrictive this measure is they are always going to vote against it. It could allow politicians and government to make private health decisions for women and voters are not OK with that." |
| "If you go back to some of the comments made by proponents of this measure, they don't know if it will have an effect on birth control or IVF. That's far too risky for us to accept and we believe it will limit access to birth control and IVF and that is bad. If personhood respected the voters it would discontinue its efforts." | "If you go back to some of the comments made by proponents of this measure, they don't know if it will have an effect on birth control or IVF. That's far too risky for us to accept and we believe it will limit access to birth control and IVF and that is bad. If personhood respected the voters it would discontinue its efforts." |
| Colorado has one of the lowest thresholds for the number of signatures needed to get a measure on the ballot, requiring 86,000 compared to 385,000 in Ohio. | Colorado has one of the lowest thresholds for the number of signatures needed to get a measure on the ballot, requiring 86,000 compared to 385,000 in Ohio. |
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