While the rematch of the 2020 election between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump has drawn the most attention, other federal and state elections this year will have consequences for healthcare and the policy outlook for the next few years. Every seat in the House of Representatives is up for election, as are 34 Senate seats. Both the presidential and Senate elections may also determine the outcome for any future nominations to the Supreme Court and other federal appointments.

At the state level, eleven states will elect governors in 2024. State-level legislature elections will be held in 44 states and DC for 86 legislative bodies, meaning most states can expect a relatively high number of new legislators by 2025.

Many voters will also have the opportunity to vote on health-related ballot measures or referenda in November. As many as twelve states could vote on protecting reproductive rights by enshrining the right to abortion in the state constitution. Other health-related trends in 2024 ballot measures include proposals related to voting rights, cannabis, and mental health.

In December 2023, the Annals of Internal Medicine published Ensuring Equitable Access to Participation in the Electoral Process: A Policy Brief from the American College of Physicians. This paper sought to inform physicians, medical students, and other health care professionals on the links between electoral processes and health, to encourage civic participation, and to offer policy recommendations to support safe and equitable access to electoral participation. It also highlighted the barriers to voting that health professionals specifically can face, which have resulted in physicians having a lower participation rate in elections than the general public.

One way ACP is encouraging members to engage is through our partnership with Vot-ER, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to integrate civic engagement into healthcare. You can sign up here to receive a free badge from Vot-ER featuring a QR code that patients and colleagues can scan on their mobile device to check their registration status, register to vote or update their voter records, and/or request a mail-in ballot. These activities are allowed for health care facilities under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.

ACP has also prepared a toolkit on Voter Registration and Equitable Access to Elections to provide information and resources to our members interested in learning more. If you have questions about ACP policy, advocacy, or resources related to voting, please contact our DC office using the Advocacy Assistance Request form.

Following November’s elections, ACP staff will review outcomes to help shape our advocacy priorities according to the expected landscape for the 119th Congress and state legislatures going into 2025.