The American Civil Liberties Union is pouring $25 million into voter education efforts ahead of the midterm elections, focusing on state-level races and ballot measures that could shape civil liberties for years to come. The organization detailed its spending plan on Monday, signaling a strategic shift toward down-ballot contests where judicial and legislative decisions directly impact rights.
Of the total, $13 million will be funneled through the ACLU’s Voter Education Fund to target state Supreme Court races in Michigan, Montana, and North Carolina. The group is also intervening in secretary of state elections in Arizona and Nevada—two battlegrounds where election administration has become a flashpoint. Additionally, the ACLU is backing what it calls “difference-making” state legislative races in Georgia, Michigan, Montana, and North Carolina.
“State elected officials are critical defenders of rights and freedoms, including access to the ballot box,” the ACLU said in a statement. “From the lawmakers that pass bills that affect our rights, to the elected judges who interpret those laws, the ACLU is a trusted resource for voters to learn about where candidates for these critical offices stand on key issues.”
The ACLU and its foundation are also investing $12.5 million to support seven ballot measure campaigns across Kansas, Missouri, Montana, and Virginia. Among the most contentious is a Missouri push to repeal a 2024 ballot measure that enshrined abortion rights until fetal viability in the state constitution. In Montana, the group is backing a measure to establish nonpartisan judicial elections.
Some of the targeted races are unfolding in purple states. In North Carolina, voters will decide whether to retain Associate Justice Anita Earls, a Democrat, for a second term on the state Supreme Court, or replace her with former state Representative Sarah Stevens, a Republican who served as speaker pro tempore. The outcome could tip the ideological balance of a court that has weighed in on voting rights and redistricting.
The ACLU has been a vocal opponent of the second Trump administration, particularly on immigration, reproductive rights, and transgender healthcare. In January, the organization reported a nearly 65% success rate in “defeating, delaying, or diluting” policies from the White House since President Trump returned to office.
Historically, ACLU supporters have leaned heavily Democratic. During the 2020 election cycle, donors aligned with the group contributed $463 million to Democratic candidates, committees, and PACs, compared to just $19 million to Republicans. The new spending comes as other advocacy groups ramp up their midterm efforts; the NAACP recently launched a record $20 million push following a Supreme Court setback on voting rights.
The ACLU’s investment underscores the growing importance of state-level politics in shaping national policy, particularly as the Trump administration continues to challenge civil liberties in court.
