Source: FiveThirtyEight
Exactly half of registered voters say they are more motivated to vote in the midterm elections than they were in previous elections, with abortion rights driving that motivation, according to a new survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The conservative-led vote to overturn reproductive rights in Dobbs v. Jackson jolted millions of Americans into taking a stand to protect their state’s abortion access. For young women voters, the erasure of reproductive rights is leading to an increase in voter registration, and showing up to the polls.
Recently, the American Enterprise Institute’s Survey Center on American Life found that “abortion is a critical issue” for women between the ages of 18 and 29, and that young women are “following news about abortion rights and access closely.”
The same survey found that nearly 65 percent of women between 18 and 29 think abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
“For a lot of voters, particularly young women who are going to be impacted in a very real way, this is going to be one of the first times that they really cared about something when it comes to politics,” stated Mary-Kate Lizotte, an Augusta University political scientist. “That’s going to anchor the way many [young women] view the parties — not just in 2022, but in 2024 and beyond.”
Abortion is on the ballot in this year’s election, and several key legislative races could determine the future of reproductive healthcare access for not only North Carolinians, but for millions across the southeast of the U.S.
North Carolina Republicans have already signaled their desire to pass anti-abortion measures in the state, with legislative leaders alluding to pushing forth an abortion ban as early as six weeks, before most women even know that they are pregnant.
Just like how Kansas voters solidified abortion rights protections – despite Republican lawmaker opposition – North Carolinians can become the next state to secure abortion rights by electing pre-reproductive rights candidates.
