Abortion Top Issue for Washington Voters Ahead of Midterms

SEATTLE, WA — Looking toward November, it’s clear that voters know abortion is on the ballot this year, and they’re ready to vote to protect their right to bodily autonomy. A poll conducted in late September by the Washington Post and ABC News showed that abortion and the economy are the top two issues leading up to the election. And ever since the fall of Roe, we’ve seen abortion climb as a top issue among Latinx registered voters, a key demographic in this year’s midterms according to a Pew Research poll. 

“Abortion is an economic issue, plain and simple,” said Courtney Normand, Washington State Director for Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates. “When people are stripped of their right to make their own health care decisions, they often experience deeper economic hardships as a result- a problem that disproportionately harms groups who are already vulnerable. That’s why we can’t take our rights in Washington State for granted. It’s crucial Washingtonians elect abortion access champions in November.”

Here in Washington, pro-abortion rights campaigns are capitalizing on this momentum. You can’t turn on the TV without seeing ads from candidates like Patty Murray (D) and Dr. Kim Shrier (D) making their thoughts clear on abortion, releasing ads dedicated to the fact that they will fight for our rights if re-elected. And outside spending groups like House Majority PAC are laser-focused on using abortion to persuade voters. Meanwhile, anti-abortion candidates like Tiffany Smiley (R) are attempting to distance themselves from their previous and explicit records in opposing abortion rights and deflecting to empty promises to fix inflation and crime in an effort to gain temporary, pre-election popularity. Matt Larkin takes it a step further, outwardly supporting outlawing abortion from the moment of conception, before a woman even knows she is pregnant, and supporting a nationwide ban on abortion. 

Abortion is tied to nearly every issue on the minds of voters this year, from crime to inflation, jobs and unemployment. Ensuring the right to abortion care is essential to each of these topics.