As a young person living in the United States, the beginning of the 2020s has felt like a slow descent away from proper representation in democracy. Mid-June of 2022, we witnessed the overturn of Roe v. Wade. The right to get an abortion in the United States had been a constitutionally protected right for nearly half a century, and the sudden loss left states the opportunity to decide whether or not women and pregnant people had a right to decide what to do with their bodies. Rights that young voters thought were solidified in law were now being taken away by courts and lawmakers who did not seem to be thinking of the country’s best interests–most importantly, the best interests of Gen Z’s future.
The beginning of Trump 2.0 resulted in a tumultuous struggle between those in power and those that wanted to protect their communities, particularly for young people who were on the cusp of voting age. I viewed 2024 as an utter defeat to democracy and a distrust of traditional politics. I was furious that a person who represented the opposite of what I valued about America–the right to freedom, the right to choose–sat at the country’s highest position of power. I, like many others, knew that 2026 was an opportunity to change the narrative and elect people that supported a women’s right to choose. I wanted to vote for people that supported the right to my body.
72% of younger Americans from ages 18-29 support abortion rights, and this year’s midterm elections saw the second highest voter turnout for the past 30 years. Abortion access was on the ballot in four states this year; 3 out of 4 states voted to protect access to abortion.
- In Missouri, 55.5% of voters rejected a state amendment that would have repealed state constitutional protections of abortions approved by voters in 2024.
- In Virginia, 62.4% of voters enshrined reproductive freedom in their state constitution, including protecting access to abortion care.
- In Nevada, 63.3% of voters approved a state constitutional amendment that created a right to an abortion.
This is not the first time that abortion access has been on the ballot, and last week’s midterms simply demonstrate a trend that voters–particularly young voters–support the right to choose. Prior to the 2026 ballot measures, abortion rights have won in nearly every state that has threatened to take them away since 2022. Nearly all lawmakers newly elected to the House and Senate have expressed explicit support for access to abortion and reproductive freedom in their states. Gen Z doesn’t just support access to abortion – their vote depends on how their state representatives and government can best ensure their communities’ freedom of choice.
As a Gen Z person who has witnessed the back and forth between establishment politics, it is a common sentiment among those my age that we are at the forefront of change. We want representatives that support our future, and governments that protect the autonomy of our bodies. The rage we felt after 2024 has turned into hopeful adrenaline, as well as a drive to keep the momentum going. Succeeding in protecting abortion rights once again will be an uphill battle, but one that young people like me are more than willing to take on.