New Poll on Women of Color Voting Sentiment: Abortion, Reproductive Justice, and Rising Costs are Drivers for AAPI, Black, and Latina/x Voters
09 Mayo 2024 - 5:15AM
Today, Intersections of Our Lives released new polling data that
demonstrates how the views of Asian American and Pacific Islander
(AAPI), Black, and Latina/x women voters on critical issues often
align. The poll found that Reproductive Justice issues – such as
securing good-paying jobs, accessing affordable healthcare
including abortion and birth control, improving maternal health
outcomes, lowering the cost of housing, and addressing rising costs
and prices – are top of mind for these voters who could decide
elections. Intersections of Our Lives is a collaborative of three
Reproductive Justice organizations – National Latina Institute for
Reproductive Justice (Latina Institute), National Asian Pacific
American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF), and In Our Own Voice: National
Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda (In Our Own Voice).
Conducted by Lake Research Partners and HIT Strategies, the poll
clearly showed that women of color are high potential voters whose
voting choices are driven by how policies impact their lives, a
need for change, and their values. Women of color want to hear and
see their experiences and issues addressed by policymakers.
Overwhelmingly, they feel that policymakers and politicians are not
prioritizing the issues that impact their daily lives.
Notably, half of women of color see voting as extremely
effective in creating the change they want, underscoring that the
experiences and priorities of women of color are not showing up in
political or policy discussions.
Many issues factor into how women of color will vote in this
year’s elections for President, Senate, Congress, and other
offices; while there are some unique differences for AAPI, Black,
and Latina/x women, rising costs and prices top their lists
followed by women’s rights. When combined with abortion, women’s
rights are tied with rising costs and prices as a top voting issue.
Other Key Findings:
Elections/Voting:
- Voting is seen as extremely important to create the
change women of color want to see in the country by 65% of
Black women, 64% of Latina/x women, and 62% of AAPI women. Nearly
nine in ten women of color say voting is extremely or very
important.
- Voting is seen as an extremely effective action women
of color can take to create the change they want to see in the
country by 52% of AAPI women, 52% of Black women, and 51%
of Latina/x women.
Rising Costs/Economy:
- Rising costs are one of the most
important issues determining votes in the 2024 elections
for 35% of Latina/x women, 33% of AAPI women, and 29% of Black
women.
- Rising costs and concerns about the economy are
priorities for women of color. These concerns encapsulate
many other issues important to women of color, like ensuring access
to affordable health care (including abortion and birth control),
fair housing, the cost of living, and closing the pay gap.
Reproductive Justice/Abortion:
- 79% of Black women, 76% of AAPI women, and 75% of
Latina/x women agree that it isn’t enough to make abortion legal,
we must make sure people can access abortion
care.
- A plurality of Black women (47%) Latina/x women (45%),
and AAPI women (40%) say abortion will be an extremely important
voting issue in the November elections (74% of Black
women, 73% of Latina/x women, and 71% of AAPI women say it is
important).
- A solid majority of women of color, especially Black
women, believe it’s important for Congress to address the high
rates of maternal death among women of color. 66% of Black
women believe it’s extremely important (91% believe it’s
important). 53% of AAPI women and 47% of Latina/x women believe
it’s extremely important (79% of AAPI women and 74% of Latina/x
women believe it’s important).
State of the Country:
- Women of color think things have gotten worse in the
country over the past year (57% of Latina/x women, 55% of
AAPI women, 49% of Black women).
- 93% of Black women, 84% of AAPI women, and 79% of
Latina/x women agree with the statement that racism has gone on too
long and that it’s time we have a leader who will create
systems of racial justice that are long overdue.
“Make no mistake, Reproductive Justice is a key issue for women
of color voters. We do not live single-issue lives and it will
determine who we support this election season. Our vote is key to
securing equity and justice for our families and generations to
come. Issues that encompass bodily autonomy like access to
affordable birth control, abortion services, and economic
opportunity are top priorities for Black women and other women of
color,” said In Our Own Voice President and CEO Regina
Davis Moss.
“Our polling underscores that AAPI women voters, and our fellow
women of color voters, are too powerful a force to be ignored
during this year’s election season. We are motivated and we are
passionate about the issues that most impact our lives. If our
communities do not see the change we expect and deserve, we are
prepared to fight for that change at the ballot box,” said
NAPAWF Executive Director Sung Yeon Choimorrow.
“This poll makes it clear that women of color voters expect
their elected officials to speak to Reproductive Justice issues
that matter to them, like providing access to affordable healthcare
(including abortion care and birth control) and lowering the costs
of living and housing. By joining forces, we can focus the power of
this influential voting bloc to affect change,” said Latina
Institute Executive Director Lupe M. Rodríguez.
In addition to the issues of creating good paying jobs and
ensuring everyone has access to affordable health care, which are
important across all women of color surveyed, there are additional
top-tier priorities that each community wants Congress to act on
including, but not limited to, the following:
- For AAPI women: passing paid family and medical leave, ensuring
medication abortion is available to all women, and creating more
affordable housing options.
- For Black women: addressing high rates of maternal death among
women of color, ending discrimination, reforming the criminal
justice system, and creating more affordable housing
options.
- For Latina/x women: passing gun violence prevention laws and
ensuring that abortion is legal, affordable, and accessible.
- Note: Oversampling of AAPI, Black, and Latina/x women was
conducted in Florida, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia.
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ABOUT INTERSECTIONS OF OUR LIVES. Intersections
of Our Lives (Intersections) is a collaboration of In Our Own
Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda (In Our
Own Voice), the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum
(NAPAWF), and the National Latina Institute for Reproductive
Justice (Latina Institute), three women of color-led national
Reproductive Justice organizations with both a federal and
statewide presence. For more information about Intersections of Our
Lives visit: IntersectionsofOurLives.org.
Intersections sponsored a survey conducted by Lake Research
Partners and HIT Strategies on the experiences and priorities of
women of color voters. The survey findings are from a national
mixed-mode survey of 850 Asian American Pacific Islander women
registered voters, 850 Black women registered voters, and 850
Latina/x women registered voters with ethnic and regional
oversamples.
Suniti Sarah Bal
Intersections of Our Lives
916.390.1860
Suniti.Bal@gmmb.com