"Decisive victory": Kansas residents, Biden reflect on vote to reject abortion ban

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Some Kansas residents celebrated on Tuesday night after a vote that could have given the Republican-led legislature to restrict or outright ban abortions in the state was defeated by voters, with those who voted against it giving each other hugs with others shedding tears of joy.

"We will not tolerate an extreme ban on abortions in our state," Rachel Sweet, regional director of public policy and organizing at Planned Parenthood, told a crowd that had gathered in Wichita after the results came in.

As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 58 per cent of voters — or more than 534,000 — cast their vote against the ballot measure. Just over 374,000 — or 41.2 per cent — voted in favour.

Not everyone was celebrating however, with one man speaking on stage at a "Vote Yes" event calling it a "difficult time," and that "we're going to get through this difficult period."

U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris also reflected on the vote on Wednesday, with Biden calling it a "decisive victory" and that it sent a "powerful signal" that Americans would vote in the upcoming midterm elections to protect the right to choose.