SALEM, Ore. — Oregon residents voted by a significant margin on Tuesday to reject a ballot initiative that would have amended the state constitution to expressly prohibit taxpayer funds from being used to pay for the murder of the unborn.

Measure 106 was struck down 64.5 percent to 35.6 percent on Election Day, despite having support from a number of pro-life groups in the state.

“Under current law, abortions may be obtained, when approved by medical professional, under state-funded health plans or under health insurance procured by or through a public employer or other public service. Measure amends constitution to prohibit spending public funds for abortion or health benefit plans that cover abortion,” the ballot text read.

It provided an exception in the instances of an ectopic pregnancy or the life of the mother.

The ballot initiative had been presented by Oregon Life United and backed by groups such as Oregon Right to Life, Pregnancy Resource Centers of Central Oregon, Precious Children of Portland and the Oregon Catholic Conference.

The “Yes on 106” website outlines that the proposal wouldn’t have ended abortion in the state, but only prevented taxpayer money from being used to pay for it. It says that $24.4 million has been spent on over 57,000 abortions in the state since 2002.

“Measure 106 doesn’t stop anyone from choosing an abortion, but it will give Oregon taxpayers freedom from having to pay for other people’s personal choices,” it states.

It points to a bill signed into law last year by Democratic Gov. Kate Brown, which required insurance companies to cover abortion at no cost.

“Today, anyone covered by [the Oregon Health Plan] can have an unlimited number of free abortions, for any reason and at any stage of pregnancy—even late-term abortions when the baby is perfectly healthy,” Yes on 106 outlines. “Vote yes on ballot measure 106 to stop your tax dollars from funding elective and late-term abortions. It’s your money, and now it’s your choice.”

However, those who opposed the ballot proposal “significantly outspent” the pro-life groups, according to The Oregonian. The “No Cuts to Care” coalition claims on its website that the measure was a “backdoor ban on abortion” and would “cut access to care” for low income mothers.

“Measure 106 would have a disproportionate effect on teachers, nurses, firefighters and thousands of other public service members who would no longer be eligible for abortion coverage as part of their public employee benefits plan,” it also states.

Groups that were a part of the opposition included the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, the National Abortion Federation, the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, and the Oregon Nurses Association.

As previously reported, from early America, Christians have spoken out strongly against the murder of the unborn.

In his 1872 book, “The Abominations of Modern Society,” preacher T. De Witt Talmadge lamented, “Herod’s massacre of the innocents was as nothing compared to that of millions and millions by what I shall call ante-natal murders. You may escape the grip of the law, because the existence of such life was not known by society, but I tell you that at last God will shove down on you the avalanche of his indignation, and though you may not have wielded knife or pistol in your deeds of darkness, yet, in the day when John Wilkes Booth and Antony Probst come to judgment, you will have on your brow the brand of murderer.”

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