Description
Proposal B of 1972 was legislation proposed by initiative petition to allow abortions to be performed by a licensed medical or osteopathic physician during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. The people voted on the ballot proposal on November 7, 1972 and it failed with 1,270,416 “yes” votes and 1,938,265 “no” votes.

The people of the state of Michigan voted 60% to 40% that they did not want legal abortion. A little over two months later, however, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions, which overruled the wishes of the people and overturned the laws of the state of Michigan.

For a county by county breakdown of votes, click here.