BY JACKIE PAYNE | GALVANIZE
As we kick off another election year, let’s take a moment to acknowledge how anxious or frightened many of us are feeling. Our democracy and fundamental rights are under attack—there is no question of this. Authoritarianism is on the rise, and remarks about being a “day one dictator” still hang in the air. Three quarters of American voters believe the future of American democracy is at risk, and as polarized as we are, that may be one of the few things so many agree on.
Meanwhile, othering and hatred are growing as well. Election years have a way of turning up the intensity of disinformation, toxic polarization, and all of the hate and conflict that divides us. As Galvanize Action works to inoculate moderate white women against the harmful narratives they’ll hear this year, we should all be keeping an eye on how the following issues are framed in the headlines.
THE ECONOMY
Inflation will be an unavoidable topic of discussion as the economy and cost of living remains the top issue for so many moderate women. Childcare, elder care, and the entire economy of caregiving are impacting so many families; be sure to notice how (or whether) candidates discuss policy solutions to this national crisis.
In a recent survey, 40% of white women in Galvanize Action’s target audience reported the economy as their top vote choice concern (One For All Committee, 2023). A plurality, but not a majority.
CULTURE WARS
Pay special attention to “parents’ rights” this year, especially as the idea relates to gender identity. This phrase is being used as a cover for attacks on civil rights across the country, from book bans to the infamous “Don’t Say Gay” law to attacks on healthcare for transgender kids. After the last two years of discriminatory state-level policies, more than one third of young trans people now live in states that ban gender-affirming care, and their rights are being repeatedly used as a fear tactic to stir up feelings of social insignificance in parents. Remember how well this worked for Governor Glenn Youngkin in Virginia in 2021?
REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM
Abortion rights remain an important, but rarely the top, issue for many moderate women voters, as illustrated above. While reproductive freedom may not be what gets them to the poll in a general election, when abortion rights are a stand-alone issue on a ballot, choice wins. We saw this in Ohio last year, Kansas, California, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, and Vermont the year prior, and we hope and expect to see the same in Maryland and New York this year. Still, pay attention to how disinformation about abortion and anti-abortion policy ramps up this year.
DEMOCRACY
The health of, and our faith in, our democracy will be critical this year. It matters if people vote. It matters if people can access the vote. It matters if people trust and accept the vote. It matters that we prevent political violence like the January 6 attack on our nation, and that we defuse the disinformation that is meant to destabilize our elections.
With so much on the line, it’s not a question of which group of voters is most important, it’s how we work together as a movement to engage all who want a thriving democracy. In this critical year, we will be laser-focused on the key role we play bringing moderate women into a broad, multiracial coalition for progress. We will use our proven approach to reach 4M moderate white women with targeted, research-driven programming on the kitchen table and culture war issues that are most salient, and support them to play a role in improving our communities and protecting our rights.
Our unique impact this year will come from meeting them at their values on abortion, the economy, and gender equity to strengthen their support while inoculating against fear-based narratives designed to pull them away from progress.
Don’t forget that election years also lead to a cultural reaction. As we see youth-led protests, new satire and parodies, fresh political memes, AI-driven content, and changing social media conversations, it’s sure to be an interesting year online. Some of these cultural aspects of an election year may seem frivolous, but they also reveal a lot about the issues that are top of mind for voters and how we all feel about them.
