NEW YORK (WABC) — When New Yorkers vote in Albany for president, Senate, Congress and the Legislature, the other side of the ballot will contain six different questions, including one that could change the state’s constitution.

Proposal 1 seeks to update the state’s Equal Rights Amendment to include new protected classes, including “pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive health care and autonomy.”

And while not specifically mentioned, the measure would effectively preserve the right to abortion throughout New York.

It started as a way to protect certain rights threatened by the Supreme Court — particularly reproductive rights — but proponents of Proposition 1 tell Eyewitness News it’s actually been a five-year quest to change the state’s constitution. change.

“Because we live in a time where it has become very clear to us that laws are not enough,” said New York State Senator Liz Krueger, (D) District 28.

So they created what is now called the Equal Rights Amendment on the ballot, but do most voters know what it is? Or even where it is?

When you turn over your ballot, you can vote yes or no to protect against unequal treatment based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability and gender, including sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy, as well as “reproductive health care and autonomy.”

Keep in mind that there are already fewer people casting ballots in the congressional races on the ballot, and that number drops even further, when it comes to the proposals, by as much as two-thirds.

Opponents are spending millions to fight it in the final hours.

“Prop 1 opens the door to non-citizen voting,” one ad said.

They argue that these are not equal rights, but rather special rights for immigrants and transgender athletes.

“And they want to be able to say, hey, you know what? If we want biological males to play against females, the Constitution says they have that right,” said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

However, proponents have their own advertising campaigns.

“It doesn’t really change anything substantive about the law other than adding protections,” said Larry Levy, National Center for Suburban Studies.

And Krueger said laws come and go — depending on who is elected in a given year — and constitutions are difficult to change.

“Why would we need that? We already have a constitution that protects people based on race, religion, gender and ethnicity,” Blakeman said.

It’s another heated contest, that’s up to you, the voter, on Tuesday.

RELATED | 2024 Voter Guide: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut

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