ACLU and ACLU of NC Launch Voter Education and Mobilization Effort for State Supreme Court and Legislative Races

RALEIGH, N.C. — The American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of North Carolina are launching a campaign to educate voters on the importance of the North Carolina Supreme Court, Senate, and House of Representatives elections this November. The ACLU and ACLU of North Carolina are nonpartisan 501(c)(4) organizations and do not support, oppose, or endorse candidates. The campaign will inform voters on the candidates’ positions and the significance of these key races in protecting North Carolinians’ civil liberties, especially the right to access abortion care.

The legislative campaign will specifically focus on Senate District 13 and House District 37. In 2023, the state Legislature passed severe abortion restrictions despite Gov. Cooper’s veto, with narrow margins in the override vote, so electing legislators who will prioritize reproductive freedom remains critical to protecting abortion access. One seat on the state Supreme Court is up for election this year. The state Supreme Court may be the final word on abortion rights in North Carolina and will decide if bad bills are constitutional.

“Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, we have seen numerous attacks on abortion access in North Carolina,” said , executive director of the ACLU of North Carolina. “Voters need to know that our state-level elected offices, including Supreme Court justices and seats in the state legislature, will have the power to determine our abortion rights in the coming years. We must elect officials who will protect our access to lifesaving health care and most personal freedoms.”

The ACLU will spend approximately $750,000 to reach voters through direct mail and digital ads across the state to highlight the power of North Carolina's state Supreme Court justices and state legislators in protecting North Carolinians’ civil liberties, including the right to bodily autonomy. The ACLU of North Carolina will engage in grassroots outreach to inform voters about the importance of these races.

The general election is on Nov. 5, 2024. North Carolinians can learn more about the importance of voting in down ballot races by visiting the ACLU of NC’s website, ACLUofNC.org.