Michigan votes to protect abortion rights, but most of the north says no

Our neighbours in Michigan have voted to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitution.

There are still some mail-in ballots to count, but so far 55 per cent have voted yes in the reproductive freedom referendum known as Proposal 3.

It was a different story in the traditionally conservative Upper Peninsula, where most counties voted no on Tuesday.

Chippewa County, which includes Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, voted 51 per cent against abortion rights.

However, the numbers show that several hundred voters in the Sault who backed Republican candidates for governor and congress, voted yes on abortion.

The same is true in neighbouring Luce County, which voted 63 per cent for the Republican governor candidate and 58 per cent against the abortion proposal.

California and Vermont also voted Tuesday to enshrine reproductive rights put in jeopardy by theoverturning of the landmarkRoe v.Wade decision by the U.S. Supreme Courtearlier this year.