At a time when pregnancy help is in the crosshairs and abortion is on the ballot in several states this fall, voting matters now more than ever for pregnancy help personnel.
Heartbeat International is encouraging people in the pregnancy help movement to get out the vote this election season. Heartbeat is the largest network of pregnancy help organizations in the U.S. and the world.
The pregnancy help network is urging people of life to become involved and encourage others to do so as well because of the pro-abortion, anti-pregnancy help political climate that looms over the pregnancy help community this election cycle.
The abortion issue has been around in politics for 50 years, said Heartbeat President Jor-El Godsey, but this election is “unprecedented.”
That word gets used every time an election comes around, he said, however this year is different.
“This particular one is unprecedented for pregnancy help organizations because there are people on the ballot right now who have attacked pregnancy help organizations directly,” Godsey said, specifically with misinformation and even lies.”
“That’s on the ballot this time,” he said.
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Some states are facing amendments that would radically change things in that state, so abortion is on the ballot, he said.
“But pregnancy help is also on the ballot,” said Godsey. “Those of us who do this work, are in effect on the ballot.”
Tweet This: With people who have attacked pregnancy help organizations on the ballot right now, pregnancy help is on the ballot this election cycle.
Some 10 states have constitutional amendments on the ballot this fall that threaten to change laws in favor of extreme abortion measures that enshrine abortion in the constitution. The amendments use language that is obscure and misleading to deceive voters into voting for something that in all likelihood would not be reversed.
Much has been made of the Republican party’s diluting of the pro-life plank on its platform. But nothing can compare to the abortion extremism of the Democrat platform and ticket. And the abortion lobby, along with abortion-affirming elected officials, stands ready to do what it can to suppress pregnancy help through targeted regulation and efforts to defame pregnancy help by through misinformation.
All of these have ramped up since the 2022 Dobbs ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, and with state and federal elected officials having already taken steps to quash pregnancy help, verbally, legislatively, or legally, it’s expected to worsen if abortion-affirming candidates prevail.
Godsey entreated those involved in pregnancy help to make sure that they vote in this election.
“Because voting is the least thing that we can do, it's the thing that we should do as stewards of this great citizenship that we've been called to in this country,” he said.
But there is more, he said.
“We should also make sure that all of those that we're connected with know that pregnancy help is on the ballot as well,” said Godsey.
He explained that many in the pregnancy help movement don’t really want to be political and try to avoid politics. But they don’t have the luxury of doing so any longer.
“You shouldn’t have to be political,” Godsey said. “But guess what, you’re being politicized.”
“You're being attacked in various ways, whether it's on websites that span, not just the U.S., but around the globe, or directly with some of our politicians who are in elected office, who are doing things against what you're doing,” he said.
“Your work ought not be political,” Godsey said. “It shouldn't be controversial, what we do. Helping women not need abortions - it should never have been a controversy.”
But because of the current political climate of targeting pregnancy help and abortion extremism, individuals who support life must step in commit to making a difference, he said.
Pregnancy help workers are of course going to pray, he said, and they are going to continue in the work that they do serving women and families. But they should do more, including encouraging others to vote for life and to get involved.
Heartbeat International has established an Get Out the Vote webpage with information on state referendums on abortion, ways to become engaged and more.
Key ways that pregnancy help advocates can make a difference include:
- Registering to vote
- Checking local voting deadlines
- Joining or creating the state pregnancy help coalition
- Connecting with local pro-life groups
- Educating supporters
People often assume that non-profit organizations cannot be engaged in advocating for life in elections. This is a misunderstanding and is covered along with more information on the Action Steps page HERE.
“Now is the time in this unprecedented season,” Godsey said. “We need to do all we can to continue the mission that God has called us to.”
Editor's note: Heartbeat International manages Pregnancy Help News.
