Planned Parenthood Generation Action at U.Va. gathered on the Rotunda steps Friday at 12 p.m. to advocate for student participation in midterm elections. Speakers included House of Delegates candidate Amy Laufer and Delegate and Prof. Sally Hudson
The upcoming Nov. 8 election includes the race between incumbent Republican Bob Good and Democrat Josh Throneburg. While abortions remain legal in Viginia following this summer’s overturn of Roe v. Wade, Good has sponsored legislation prohibiting abortions and supported Governer Glenn Youngkin’s plan for a national 15-week ban. Throneburg has promised to pass the Women’s Health Protection act, which would codify former Roe v. Wade protections into law.
Rally participants gathered and began by creating signs reading “Autonomy is on the line” and “reproductive justice now.”
Elli McGovern, PPGA president and fourth-year Batten student, welcomed students and introduced the three speakers — Laufer, Hudson and Han Jones, director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia.
“This event serves to join together and have collective strength from being together, and additionally to learn a little bit more from our abortion champions,” McGovern said.
Hudson began her remarks by noting that she represents the first woman to serve Charlottesville in the House of Delegates.
“When the Supreme Court justices handed down the Dobbs decision, telling us that we need to return to the time where our bodily autonomy rights are interpreted in the context of what the framers intended, it’s very clear that the framers never planned for people like me,” Hudson said.
In contrast to many other southern states — such as Georgia and Florida, which have implemented six-week and 15-week abortion bans, respectively, and West Virginia’s total abortion ban — Hudson said that Virginia’s current abortion laws provide access to women across the South.
“Virginia is a safe haven for abortion in the South, so we're starting in a solid spot, but that is nothing we can take for granted,” Hudson said. “So between now and Tuesday, I hope that you all have plans to vote if you're out here today.”
Particularly since reproductive rights affect young voters, Hudson said that youth voter turnout plays a decisive role in protecting abortion access. For the first time in Virginia history, this election cycle includes same-day voter registration — a crucial tool from Hudon’s perspective. Previously, registration would close about three weeks prior to election day.
“Making it easy to vote on the spot on Election Day is what actually gets young people to the polls because you’re often mobile, moving every year or so, so it should be easy to vote on the spot wherever you live now,” Hudson said.
Laufer also discussed the power of same-day voting registration for University students, especially given the stakes of this election. She encouraged students to take advantage of the new option and promote voting among friends.
“We need to show that we're not afraid and we are going to stay,” Laufer said. “We need to use our power at the ballot box.”
In addition to the upcoming election, Jones spoke to the importance of voting in all future races. According to Jones, since the overturn of Roe v. Wade delegates reproductive rights decisions to the state level, local representation matters more than ever.
“You all are in a really powerful position,” Hudson said. “Because you have the ability to choose absolute channels to represent. Just the ability to send people to the legislature who are going to fight, who are going to stand up against all the dangerous things that our governor is trying to do.”
After the event, McGovern said that she felt confident in student turnout given both the rally and PPGA’s earlier efforts this week — including voter registration on Grounds.
“I think especially with the fact that we'll have Election Day off this year, I do think turnout is going to be better and then also with what Sally Hudson was talking about, about how you can register the day of, I think that will increase turnout,” McGovern said. “And hopefully it's for candidates that support our abortion rights.”
Polls open at 6 a.m. on Election Day and will remain open until 7 p.m. residents can verify their registration status through the Virginia Department of Elections citizen portal, and voters can locate the nearest polling station through the department’s website.
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