Voters in Mississippi will vote on an amendment to the Constitution that would define the moment of conception as the beginning of life on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Initiative 26, spurred by a nationwide campaign organized by Colorado-based Personhood USA, would define a fertilized egg as a person in possession of his or her full legal rights. This definition would illegalize abortion in the state and impede women’s abilities to purchase certain forms of birth control, such as the morning-after pill. The amendment maintains the potential to infringe upon women’s rights and challenge the Roe v. Wade case, which legalized abortion.

 According to CNN, Roe v. Wade inspired Personhood USA to define the meaning of personhood when Justice Potter Stewart said “If it were established that an unborn fetus is a person, you would have an impossible case here.”

 Despite the initiative’s challenge to Roe v. Wade, church officials and anti-abortion religious groups in Mississippi have concerns that the initiative could cause the Supreme Court to pass a ruling on the issue that would strengthen Roe v. Wade.

Haley Barbour, governor of Mississippi, issued a statement Friday, Nov. 4 supporting the initiative.

 “I have some concerns about it,” Barbour said. “But I think, all in all, I believe life begins at conception, so I think the right thing to do was to vote for it.”

Although Initiative 26 is only on the ballot in Mississippi this year, other states have included similar propositions that were rejected by voters. Florida, Ohio and Montana will all vote on personhood measures next year, while planning is in process to raise the initiative in other states.

 Until the amendment is ratified by three-fourths of the states, the amendment cannot be added to the Constitution. If the initiative passes in Mississippi, the vote will only affect that state until the necessary number of states vote on the issue as well.