Two of Idaho’s gubernatorial challengers have publicly declared their support for a November ballot measure that would roll back the state’s near-total abortion ban, while the Constitution Party candidate has vowed to fight the initiative if it passes. Republican incumbent Gov. Brad Little did not respond to requests for comment on the measure.

Where the Candidates Stand

Democrat Terri Pickens, an attorney who runs her own law firm, and Independent John Stegner, a retired Idaho Supreme Court justice with 25 years on the bench, both said they back the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act, which will appear before Idaho voters on November 3.

“I absolutely 100% support the ballot initiative,” Pickens said, describing the measure as an effort to restore reproductive rights rather than expand them. Stegner argued that passage would move Idaho beyond what he called outdated legal frameworks, saying the initiative “will undo what I think are 19th-century laws and move us rapidly into the 21st century.”

The candidate who legally changed his name to Pro-Life, running on the Constitution Party ticket, opposes the initiative and said he would collaborate with the Idaho Legislature to block its implementation if voters approve it. Libertarian Paul Sand was not available for comment.

What the Initiative Would Do

If approved by voters, the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act would legalize abortion in Idaho up to the point of fetal viability and in emergency medical situations. The measure would effectively restore the legal standard that existed in Idaho before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Idaho’s current abortion law, signed by Gov. Little in 2020 under Senate Bill 1385, makes performing an abortion a crime in nearly all circumstances, with an exception only to preserve the life of the mother. The initiative cleared the November ballot after organizers submitted a record-breaking number of signatures earlier this year.

Legislative Pushback Already Forming

Even if voters approve the initiative, it may face resistance at the statehouse. Sixteen Republican legislative candidates have already stated they would vote to repeal the measure if it clears at the ballot box. The Idaho Republican Party reinforced that position at its summer convention, adopting a formal resolution calling on the Legislature to repeal the initiative in the event of voter approval.

The potential conflict sets up a notable tension between direct democracy and legislative authority — a dynamic that could define much of the 2027 legislative session if the initiative succeeds. All 105 seats in the Idaho Legislature are on the November ballot, meaning the composition of the body that could take up a repeal effort will itself be decided by the same electorate voting on the initiative.

A Crowded November Ballot

Beyond the governor’s race and the abortion initiative, Idaho voters will weigh in on three of the state’s four U.S. House and Senate seats this fall, making November one of the more consequential election cycles for Idaho in recent memory.

The abortion question is shaping up as a central dividing line across multiple races, with candidates at every level being pressed to stake out positions. How Gov. Little ultimately responds — he has so far declined to comment — could become a factor in the governor’s race as the campaign enters its final stretch.

The broader legal and political landscape surrounding reproductive rights in Idaho has been in flux since 2022. The state’s attorney general’s office has faced scrutiny over election-related legal disputes that underscore how contested Idaho’s political environment has become heading into November.