Florida voters approved Amendment 4 — the 'Floridians Protecting Freedom' ballot initiative — with 57.3% of the vote on November 5, 2024. The measure would have added a right to abortion until fetal viability (approximately 24 weeks) to the Florida Constitution, overriding the state's existing six-week ban. However, Florida requires 60% approval to amend the state constitution, so the amendment failed despite receiving majority support. These facts are confirmed by Florida election results, Fox News, NPR, CNN, and the Miami Herald.

Florida's six-week abortion ban, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis and in effect since May 2024, prohibits most abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detectable — approximately six weeks gestation, before many women know they are pregnant. The law includes limited exceptions for rape, incest, human trafficking, and the life of the mother. The DeSantis administration had spent $15 million in state funds on a campaign opposing Amendment 4.

Supporters of Amendment 4, including Planned Parenthood and a coalition of donors, spent more than $100 million — the largest abortion-ballot campaign in state history. Despite the spending, the 60% threshold proved insurmountable. Twelve other states had passed similar abortion-rights ballot measures in 2022 and 2024, most with simple majority thresholds.

NPR and CNN expressed disappointment at the result while noting that a majority of Florida voters had voted for abortion access — and that the 60% supermajority requirement was itself a policy choice that allowed minority positions to block constitutional change. Fox News and the Daily Wire celebrated the result as proof that pro-life laws could withstand even well-funded ballot campaigns, with commentators noting Florida's constitution was appropriately difficult to amend.