Abortion Decision Leads More Women to Register to Vote

Abortion¹ Decision Leads More Women to Register to Vote

After the U.S. Supreme² Court's decision to overturn Roe³ v. Wade⁴, more women have registered to vote in this year's midterm elections.

The high court overturned Roe v. Wade – which guarantees a woman's right to an abortion – in June. An abortion is a medical procedure that ends a pregnancy⁵.

Voter registrations⁶ among women rose by 35 percent in 10 states that share such data, an investigation⁷ by the New York Times found. The states include Kansas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oklahoma, Florida, North Carolina, Idaho, Alabama, New Mexico and Maine. The U.S. midterm elections will be held Tuesday, November 8.

The data shows that women have also been registering at higher levels than men in states like Wisconsin and Michigan, where reproductive rights are at risk.

Voters in Michigan will decide whether to change the state's constitution to include protections to make abortion available. In Wisconsin, an 1849 law banning almost all abortions⁸ is making its way through the courts.

Tom Bonier is a democratic political strategist. He told VOA he has not seen such an increase in women voter registrations in his 28 years studying elections. "We're seeing women engage politically at a greater rate than I've seen before," he said.

Historically, the U.S. president's party loses seats in Congress during the midterm elections. Since President Joe Biden is a Democrat⁹, some experts had predicted big wins for the Republican Party. In addition, many Republicans in Congress support the Supreme Court's decision on Roe v. Wade, while many Democrats¹⁰ oppose it.

However, political experts are questioning whether the increased registrations among women will turn into actual votes.

Samuel Abrams is a professor of politics at Sarah Lawrence College in New York. He told VOA that today's political environment makes it much harder to predict how issues such as abortion will lead voters to decide on election day. "We used to have models that were predictive," Abrams said. "We do not have good models that predict this right now."

The first test of reproductive rights after the Supreme Court's ruling came in Kansas in August. Fifty-nine percent of citizens voted to keep abortion protections in place in the solidly Republican state. This result sent a strong signal that abortion rights do not only matter to liberal, Democratic voters.

Bonier said, "There are pro-choice Republicans. But there are also Republicans who might not personally be pro-choice, but they were against the notion of the government taking away an established right."

In Kansas, voters took part in a referendum. This meant they were not forced to choose between Democrats and Republicans. Experts are watching to see whether large numbers of Republicans feel strongly enough about abortion rights to cross party lines.

"I don't think it's going to be as potent¹¹. ... I think the [Supreme Court] decision is old enough that the intensity¹² has changed," Abrams said.

Amanda Hunter leads the Barbara Lee Family Foundation, an independent group that works to advance women's representation in American politics. She told VOA that even before the Supreme Court's ruling on abortion rights, women had other reasons to get involved in the political process.

Hunter noted¹³ that the COVID-19 pandemic showed weaknesses in social systems for women. "A lot of things that women didn't think about or took for granted, like child care, like the public school system ... were all turned upside down," she said.

Words in This Story

strategist – n. someone with a lot of experience in planning, especially in military, political or business matters

engage – v. to interest someone in something and keep them thinking about it

notion – n. a belief or idea

referendum – n. an election in which people in an area vote on a specific issue

potent – adj. very powerful, forceful or effective

take (something) for granted – idiom to never think about something because you believe it will always be available or stay exactly the same

1 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

2 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 roe   

n.鱼卵；獐鹿

参考例句：

• We will serve smoked cod's roe at the dinner.宴会上我们将上一道熏鳕鱼子。
• I'll scramble some eggs with roe?我用鱼籽炒几个鸡蛋好吗？

4 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

5 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

6 registrations   

n.登记( registration的名词复数 )；登记项目；登记（或注册、挂号）人数；（管风琴）音栓配合（法）

参考例句：

• In addition to the check-in procedures, the room clerks are customarily responsible for recording advance registrations. 除了办理住宿手续外，客房登记员按惯例还负责预约登记。 来自辞典例句
• Be the Elekta expert for products registrations in China. 成为在中国注册产品的医科达公司专家。 来自互联网

7 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

8 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

9 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

10 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

12 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

13 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。