Planned Parenthood announces $10 million voter campaign in North Carolina for 2024 election

RALEIGH, N.C.-- Abortion continues to be a key part of Democrats' election playbook in North Carolina, which for 2024 will include what abortion-rights advocates call an unprecedented investment in get-out-the-vote efforts.Planned Parenthood affiliated groups in North Carolina announced on Thursday a $10 million campaign in the state that largely focuses on persuading people concerned about narrowing abortion access to vote in November.

The spend, according to representatives for Planned Parenthood Votes and Planned Parenthood Action PAC North Carolina, attempts to end both a GOP supermajority at the General Assembly that enacted new abortion limits last year and to defeat Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, who wants the law to become more restrictive.The $10 million marks the largest campaign investment ever made by Planned Parenthood entities in North Carolina, Planned Parenthood Votes spokesperson Emily Thompson said.“Our goal is clear: To protect abortion access in North Carolina, we must ensure voters know abortion is on the ballot this year," Thompson said at a news conference near the state Legislative Building.

The money will pay for digital advertising, phone-banking, mailers and media programming on college campuses.It will also support Planned Parenthood's canvassing goal of knocking on 1 million doors in the state before the election, Thompson said.

Most campaigning efforts will be focused in New Hanover, Wake, Mecklenburg and Buncombe counties as part of its larger statewide strategy, Thompson said.The four counties were chosen in part because of Planned Parenthood's health services in those regions and ongoing organizing.

The GOP-controlled state legislature passed a 2023 law over Democratic Gov.Roy Cooper’s veto that tightened the state’s ban on most abortions from after 20 weeks of pregnancy to 12 weeks, with additional exceptions.

“These legislators have had no regard for us, our rights or our freedoms,” said Emma Horst...