RICHMOND, Va. – In response to the Virginia General Election in which the ACLU of Virginia engaged in unprecedented voter outreach, ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Mary Bauer released the following statement:
“Abortion was on the ballot this year in Virginia, and voters cast their vote for protecting access to it by delivering decisive wins to pro-abortion candidates in both the House and Senate. After the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, every single state in the South but Virginia passed new restrictions on abortion. Virginian voters proved tonight that they understand that abortion bans are not compromises, and that people and their families – not the government – should be the ones to decide whether someone should become a parent.
“This year, our organization committed to unprecedented election work because of the urgency of the need to communicate where candidates stand on important issues like reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights, and freedom from censorship. Up and down the ballot, Virginians cast their vote for candidates who are committed to inclusive, community values, rather than personal political agendas. This election was a critical step to protect Virginians’ civil rights and civil liberties, and a clear repudiation of attempts to roll them back. While we’re sure we’ll continue to see attacks on the things Virginians value, one thing is clear: we aren’t going anywhere. Virginians – and the ACLU of Virginia – are in this for the long haul.”
