The 2024 election was always going to be contentious, but the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade two years ago turned this presidential election into a referendum on reproductive rights. On one side, you have Vice President Kamala Harris, a longtime champion of abortion rights, the first US vice president to visit an abortion clinic, a candidate who has made the issue a focal point of her campaign. On the other side, you have former president Donald Trump, who appointed the three conservative Supreme Court justices that made it possible to overturn Roe, who has alternately bragged about his anti-abortion policies while simultaneously trying (and failing) to downplay and strike a middle-of-the-road stance on the issue. He’s also openly lied about key abortion facts.
The gap between Harris and Trump’s takes on abortion is more like a chasm, a dynamic reflected in the gender gap between men and women voters. As women break for Harris, men are backing Trump, in what may be record numbers by the time all the ballots are in. Abortion, experts say, is a major factor in that.
With Election Day mere hours away, abortion is one issue on voters’ minds, from young first-time voters to the ones who remember the pre-Roe days — and will fight tooth and nail to keep them from happening again. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, the election anxiety is bound to get worse over the next few days. Sometimes, when you’re looking to steady yourself — and solidify your resolve — a few last-minute words of strength can help you re-focus on what matters this election, so we asked abortion activists to do just that. The main thing they want you to know? Don’t underestimate the importance of this election when it comes to abortion rights.
“This vote is not just about policy — it’s about defending personal freedoms and ensuring a future where everyone can make choices about their own bodies and lives,” says Nourbese Flint, president of the abortion justice organization All* Above All, which recently co-produced the short film The Trial comparing abortion bans to witch hunts. Flint tells SheKnows that this election has real consequences when it comes to abortion rights and beyond. “Voters have the power to shape policies that directly impact the autonomy, safety, and well-being of women, birthing people, and families across the country,” she explains.
That’s because having the right and access to abortion is not just a women’s issue, Flint explains. That’s something to remember when you’re casting your vote: being able to access safe abortions “affects entire communities,” she says. “Abortion access that is affordable, available, and accessible means autonomy over your own destiny and future.”
It’s also important to remember that, while a vote for either presidential candidate will affect abortion rights and access, some voters can also vote directly for abortion this week. A representative for the Center for Reproductive Rights tells SheKnows that abortion is on the ballot in 10 states: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, and South Dakota. “Most of these ballot measures seek to enshrine the right to abortion into the state constitution (with the exception of Nebraska which has 2 competing measures),” the rep says. If you’re casting a vote in any of these states and have yet to fill out your ballot, now’s the time to do your research on those ballot measures. (This state-by-state voter guide from virtual reproductive care clinic Hey Jane lays it all out.)
Abortion has been so relentlessly politicized for years that it’s easy to forget that abortion is a form of “common, essential health care,” Alyssa Wagner, the medical director at Hey Jane and a board-certified women’s health nurse practitioner specializing in reproductive and sexual health, tells SheKnows. “People from every state, every religion, and every political party access abortion care.”
That means that a lack of abortion rights and access have a broader impact than some of us may realize. “All of us working in abortion care have seen firsthand that restrictions are not only cruel, but they harm everyone,” Wagner says, including “parents who want to take care of the children they already have, students trying to establish themselves, people experiencing miscarriages or going through IVF, and more.”
Abortion bans do not eliminate abortion, Flint adds. In fact, studies have found that more abortions have occurred in the US since Roe was overturned, showing that “people will continue to seek abortion care in spite of the policy barriers that anti-abortion policymakers impose,” the Guttmacher Institute notes — they’re just forced to travel, raise substantially more money, or put themselves in dangerous situations to do it. “Restrictive policies don’t eliminate abortion; they only make it unsafe for those without resources,” Flint confirms. “Voting to protect these rights is an investment in a healthier, more equitable future.”
The last thing to remember is that the fight for abortion doesn’t end after this election, no matter who wins. “Electing leaders who will defend reproductive justice is crucial, but it’s just one part of a bigger picture,” Flint says. It’s equally important to hold leaders accountable after Election Day, join in on grassroots efforts, and advocate for more comprehensive reproductive health policies. All* Above All offers more resources to help you get involved beyond casting your ballot.
There’s a lot to keep in mind as you head to your polling center or the mailbox to drop off your ballot. What it comes down to is the fact that abortion is healthcare, and failing to protect it means women and birthing people will continue to die and be injured giving birth or attempting to end a pregnancy. Lives are on the line in this election, and the ballot you cast matters.
Before you go, read about the celebrities who’ve shared their own abortion stories: