A majority of Kansas residents on Tuesday voted against a legal measure that would have led to an almost total abortion ban.

The referendum in the conservative state was the first test of US voter attitudes on abortion rights since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.

The result was a major victory for abortion rights advocates, after many states in the South and Midwest largely banned abortion.

Legal until week 22

Abortion is currently legal up to 22 weeks of pregnancy in Kansas, making the state a haven for women from neighboring states with stricter laws, or outright abortion bans.

The vote would not have led to an outright abortion ban, but a yes vote would have allowed changes to the state constitution guaranteeing the right to undergo the procedure, which in turn could have resulted in a ban.

High turnout

The vote has been interpreted by many as a national test of how the issue of abortion rights may develop after several Republican states rushed to introduce bans in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision.

In the neighboring states of Oklahoma and Missouri, abortions are now almost completely prohibited, and as recently as Saturday, Indiana introduced new, rigid legislation in the area.

According to Republican state minister Scott Schwab, the turnout ended up at up to 50 percent, a relatively high figure.