ACLU spending $25M on fall elections, with focus on abortion rights

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is planning its biggest-ever investment in an election cycle, with $25 million set to go into races up and down the ballot as the organization puts a “laser focus” on protecting and expanding abortion rights.

The ACLU plans to champion ballot measures aimed at enshrining abortion access in several states, deploy volunteers to help boost turnout efforts, and educate voters in key states about candidates’ positions on civil rights issues, according to a release shared with The Hill. NBC News first reported the plan.

“We stand at a precipice. This election will not be merely a choice between candidates, but a test of our fundamental civil liberties and civil rights. Abortion access and our democracy itself hang in the balance,” ACLU Chief Political and Advocacy Officer Deirdre Schifeling said in a statement. 

“While the Presidential race is critical, it’s not just the top of the ticket that matters — voters have the opportunity to vote for candidates who protect their rights up and down the ballot and we will make sure they have the information they need.”

The $25 million-plus figure will go toward direct mail, digital ads, paid media, on-the-ground organizing and support for the ballot measure campaigns — as well as underwriting litigation and boosting volunteer efforts.

The group will champion efforts to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitutions in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and New York. Advocates are pushing forward would-be amendments aimed at protecting the procedure against potential bans or restrictions — and at boosting turnout among Democrats in November.

The ACLU’s investment will also support a redistricting reform ballot measure in Ohio and engage in the state Supreme Court races there — as well as in Michigan and Montana. 

The ACLU and the ACLU Voter Education Fund, a federal PAC — both of which are nonpartisan — will expand work on educating voters about candidates’ positions on major issues in key states, without endorsing campaigns. 

They’ll also work toward “pro-civil liberty majorities” in the Georgia, Kansas, Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin state legislatures. At the federal level, the ACLU education arm will engage in Wisconsin’s Senate race. 

Abortion has surged as a major player in elections after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade just before the midterms. Democrats have racked up wins in recent special elections and referendums by running on the issue and hope the urgency around protecting access will help boost their candidates up and down the ballot this fall — or even flip a red state like Florida into blue hands.