Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Votes PAC Endorses Reproductive Health Care Champions for Critically Important State Legislative Seats 

New York – Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Votes PAC is eager to announce its final list of endorsements for the 2022 state elections on November 8th. PPGNY Votes PAC endorsed candidates who embody the fabric of communities Planned Parenthood strives to serve and protect – these are Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian and LGBTQ+ communities, low-income communities, and people who are harmed by legacies of discrimination. Each candidate is vetted according to their alignment with PPGNY’S mission and the issues underlying their campaigns. 

Anti-abortion politicians are chipping away at reproductive rights, and they won’t stop until every state, even New York, has a complete ban on safe, legal abortion access. As more people travel to New York to access critical reproductive care, what happens in our November elections will impact the lives of everyone in the country. New Yorkers must vote for candidates who will unapologetically defend the right to bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom and dismantle systems that uphold racial inequity – all of which were critical deciding factors for this year’s endorsements at PPGNY Votes PAC. 

PPGNY Votes PAC proudly endorses state Senate and Assembly candidates who are both progressive newcomers and valued incumbents. These candidates will further cement protections not only for New York’s underserved communities, but for anyone coming to the state looking for abortion care. These candidates include: Lea Webb who will represent the Southern Tier from Ithaca to Binghamton and who was the first Black person elected to the Binghamton City Council; John Brooks who will represent much of the southeastern Nassau County and who has successfully challenged NY health insurance plan’s increases; Anna Kaplan, an Iranian immigrant who champions women's rights and who will represent Northern Nassau County, Julie Shiroishi, the first Japanese-American candidate to represent the Southern Dutchess County and Newburgh and who is fighting to add the Equal Rights Amendment to our state’s constitution; Michelle Hinchey who will represent Columbia & Greene counties and who in 2020 was the youngest woman to represent an Upstate district in the Democratic Majority Conference; and Michelle Ostrelich who will represent Saratoga County and most of Schenectady and whose main mission is to protect NYS reproductive care providers from out-of-state interference and legal jeopardy.  

Statement by Dipal Shah, Executive Director, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Votes PAC: 

With politicians in Congress trying to pass national abortion bans, we must come together and use our voice at the ballot box. Participating in local elections is more important now than ever. During this election season, individual voters can play a critical role in ensuring anti-abortion politicians stop chipping away at our personal freedoms. By electing abortion health care champions that align with our values and our wants, we can secure equitable access to sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion for everyone. We must show up to vote and harness our collective power as constituents.  We can make certain New York remains an abortion access state for those coming to us from across the country for essential reproductive health services.

After the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court enabled politicians to interfere in our health care decisions. This was also an opportunity for all voters to choose what the abortion landscape will look like in their state. With more than 80% of people around the country wanting access to abortion care to be legally protected, this year’s elections have become crucial for the reproductive justice movement and for the people to show the Supreme Court that their decision is not reflective of the people’s wishes. This election cycle is especially important in states like New York that aim to protect access to abortion care. With an 87.5% success rate in this year’s primary elections, PPGNY Votes PAC, a leading advocate for sexual and reproductive health care and education, works to ensure champions for reproductive health access, rights, and justice are elected to every level of government.   

Click here for a full list of PPGNY Votes PAC endorsed candidates come New York’s November Midterm Elections.  

Early voting begins October 29th and ends November 6th. November 8th is Election Day.  

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Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Votes PAC is a political action committee that works to elect candidates who support the full range of sexual and reproductive health care services for all New Yorkers. PPGNY Votes PAC engages in electoral activity at the state and local levels, including candidate endorsements, canvassing, and phone banking in support of candidates, voter education, and grassroots organizing.