Reproductive rights are at stake in the 2022 midterm elections, but by voting, you could impact whether abortion is protected or banned in your state.
The Supreme Court eliminated the national right to abortion in June 2022, and since then, abortion policy decisions have been given to the states. This means that voters in some states can directly decide how abortion should be regulated in their state. According to Ballotpedia, there are six states addressing abortion rights in their ballots this midterm election, breaking the record for most abortion measures in a single year.
What questions are on the ballot and in which states?
These six states will ask voters whether to accept or reject the right to abortion directly on the 2022 midterm ballot.
California legislators placed a measure on the November 8 ballot for voters to decide whether to guarantee the right to an abortion in their state constitution. The amendment in California would declare that the state “shall not deny or interfere with an individual’s reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions, which includes their fundamental right to choose to have an abortion and their fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptives.”
Michigan voters will be able to determine whether to have abortion rights in the Michigan Constitution. According to AP News, “a question on Michigan’s November ballot asking voters to put the right to an abortion in the state constitution could have a powerful effect”, and abortion rights would be guaranteed in Michigan if the amendment passes on November 8th.
Vermont‘s Governor, Phil Scott, declared that the state voters will be able to vote to amend the state constitution that protects reproductive rights in the state in the November midterm. “In Vermont, we solidified the right to choose in law, and now Vermonters have the opportunity to further protect that right in our constitution,” Governor Phil Scott stated. “It is more important than ever to make sure the women in our state have the right to make their own decisions about their health, bodies, and their futures.”
Kentucky’s Supreme Court has ruled that the state’s abortion ban will remain in place and Kentucky’s 2022 midterm ballot will ask voters whether to amend the state constitution to say it doesn’t protect the right to an abortion. In other words, Kentucky voters are going to be asked to amend the state’s constitution to say residents do not have a right to abortions.
Montana will not be asking voters to vote directly for or against abortion rights and is more specifically asking voters whether the state should require medical care and treatment for infants born alive after an attempted abortion.
It is important to note that although questions regarding abortion rights will not directly be on their voting ballots, your vote will have the power to impact the future of abortion rights in these four states: North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Pennsylvania.
So, what can you do?
Register
To
Vote
Did you know that your vote has significant power that can affect legislation? According to The Survey Center on American Life, 65% of young women between 18 and 29 years old think that abortion should be legal, yet few young voters usually turn out in midterm elections.
Registering to vote is easy. Here’s how:
Visit vote.gov to begin the voter registration process. Select your state or territory. Depending on its rules, you will find instructions on how to register online, by mail, or in person at your local election office.
The 2022 midterm elections take place on November 8th. Vote and make a difference.