Rural Americans are going to the ballot box to take back their reproductive rights.

After the disastrous Dobbs decision in 2022, Republicans have attacked abortion rights with no exceptions. Now, they're coming after in vitro fertilization and contraception, too.

But reproductive rights have won out in every single state that has held a referendum on abortion rights.

From east to west and north to south, rural folks are showing up to make sure their voices are heard at the ballot box. In fact, the group Rural Democracy Initiative found that three-quarters of rural, swing-state voters agree that abortion is a decision for the individual and their doctor.

In November, 11 states — including Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and more — are voting on a ballot measure to decide the fate of reproductive rights. In each state, the side protecting reproductive rights is favored to win. No matter what side of the political aisle folks fall on, most agree that these are decisions to be made by women, family, and doctors, not by far-right weirdos.

Patients are dealing with a lack of high-quality maternal health care, fewer doctors, longer waits, and closed maternity wards in states with abortion bans. Rural Americans want to take back their right to choose and you can see it in the swell of enthusiasm by rural voters for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

This is the opportunity for rural communities to demonstrate their power and be the deciding vote in this year's election. We need to remind Washington that rural communities matter and that abortion bans hurt our communities more than anyone else.

One Country Project is standing up for rural Americans – will you stand with us?

Tessa

Tessa Gould
Executive Director, One Country Project