Supporters of the ballot proposal to enshrine the right to abortion in the Florida Constitution hold signs outside of the Florida Supreme Court on Feb. 7, 2024. (Photo by Jackie Llanos/Florida Phoenix)
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Floridians Protecting Freedom, the group behind the proposed amendment to enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution, raised more than $8 million in the first half of June and has brought in $20 million since the amendment gained approval to appear on the ballot this November.
That $20 million is roughly half of the total the group has raised since it launched the effort to protect abortion access in Florida early last year, according to financial reports from the Florida Division of Elections. Those figures show an outpouring of support since the Florida Supreme Court ruled that Amendment 4 could be on the ballot and rejected a challenge to the state’s 15-week abortion ban, leading to the enforcement of the six-week ban on May 1.
Those cash and in-kind donations are fueling the group’s confidence before the launch of canvassing efforts planned for Saturday.
“As we launch our volunteer canvassing program this weekend, the Yes On 4 Campaign is fueled by this significant donor enthusiasm to boost our efforts,” campaign director Lauren Brenzel said in a press release Friday. “$20 million in just 11 weeks is no small feat and it’s thanks to the groundswell of support here at home.”
Canvassing events are set to take place in cities all over the state, including St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, Miami Beach, Orlando, and Jacksonville.
Most of the donations in the latest financial report — detailing contributions between June 1 and June 14 that total $8.2 million — came from people and other groups in Florida, but the largest contribution of $5 million came from Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, an Oklahoma organization with the stated goal of advancing racial, gender, and economic equity in the U.S. and Israel.
Although recent polls show Amendment 4 has more than the 60% approval rate it needs to pass, Floridians Protecting Freedom campaign staff want voters to view the issue in a nonpartisan fashion.
“We know that Floridians do not like to be told what to do, and so that resonates, I think, across party lines,” said Natasha Sutherland, the campaign’s communications director, during a press conference Thursday. “So, we just keep it to the issues, keep it to the values, and we welcome folks from all party affiliations to be a part of this movement to pass Yes on 4.”
Meanwhile, the Florida Access Network, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people get abortions, has seen a shrinking pool of donors as it faces increased demand from people needing to travel farther for abortions, executive director Stephanie Loraine Piñeiro said during a press conference on June 10.
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