West Virginia voters will elect their next governor on Tuesday, with the candidates taking starkly different positions on abortion rights.

Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, backed by former President Donald Trump, has actively defended the state's strict abortion restrictions.

After a U.S. District Court decision to block access to abortion pills in 2023, Morrisey said he would “always advocate for the life of the unborn.”

In contrast, Huntington Mayor Steve Williams, a Democrat, has advocated putting the issue directly before voters on the ballot as a “question of freedom.”

As is well known, the state approved a strict anti-abortion ballot measure six years ago.

It states that “nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of abortion.” This, along with the subsequent repeal of Roe v. Wade, results in a near-total ban on abortion in West Virginia.

West Virginians' Views on Reproductive Rights

Morrisey, 56, has served as attorney general since 2012 and focuses on conservative causes.

He has defended laws that ban transgender youth from participating in sports and supported scholarship programs that promote alternatives to public school. A self-described “conservative fighter,” Morrisey has also litigated against opioid manufacturers and secured about $1 billion to combat the state's drug crisis.

At the heart of Morrisey's campaign is his defense of West Virginia's status as one of the strictest states in the US on reproductive rights

A 2022 poll by the state Chamber of Commerce found that 51 percent of West Virginia residents described themselves as “pro-life,” while 45 percent described themselves as “pro-choice.”

Additionally, 67.7 percent of West Virginia residents strongly supported exceptions for rape and incest.

Williams' time as mayor of Huntingdon

Williams, 60, has served as mayor of Huntington since 2012, implementing strategies to combat drug abuse, including establishing the state's first citywide Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP).

The ODCP is responsible for developing strategies for the prevention, treatment and overall reduction of harmful addictive substances.

He has also provided first responders with naloxone and established court-ordered diversion programs for those with substance use disorders. Yet West Virginia still has the highest number of drug deaths per 100,000 residents in the United States.

On the issue of abortion, Williams tried to let voters decide.

Earlier this year, he collected thousands of signatures to urge lawmakers to place an abortion referendum on the ballot. However, West Virginia is among 25 states that do not allow citizen-initiated ballot measures, leaving those decisions to the legislature.

In the 2024 election, 10 states have abortion-related measures on their ballots.

Your goals vary. Maryland's “Question 1” aims to enshrine reproductive rights in the state constitution, while in Nebraska voters face two competing initiatives: “Initiative 434” aims to ban abortions after the first trimester, while “Initiative 439” aims to establish a right to abortion up to the viability of the fetus.

Impact on the Women of West Virginia

The outcome of the election could significantly impact the state's abortion policy.

Morrisey's choice would likely maintain or strengthen current restrictions, while Williams aims to give residents a direct voice on the issue.

“My opponent is part of the far-left Biden-Harris movement,” Morrissey said. “And that’s not what West Virginians are looking for.”

Williams has expressed concern that the 2018 vote, in which nearly 52 percent of voters supported a constitutional amendment that did not provide a right to access to abortion, also involved government funding issues – suggesting that some voters could refuse funding without wanting to abolish access completely.

How this affects the US presidential election

While Williams' push to give voters a direct voice on reproductive rights may reveal some disagreements, West Virginia is poised to remain firmly in the Republican camp.

Trump endorsed Morrisey's gubernatorial campaign earlier this year.

“Patrick Morrisey has my complete and unqualified endorsement – ​​HE WILL NOT FILE YOU!” he posted on his Truth Social platform shortly after Morrisey secured the Republican nomination for governor.

In 2018, during Morrisey's U.S. Senate campaign against incumbent Democrat Joe Manchin, his son Donald Trump Jr. appeared at a campaign rally to support him.

West Virginia's strong conservative presence means high turnout for Republican candidates at the top of the ticket remains highly likely – recent polls show Trump averaging 60 percent, compared to Democratic candidate Kamala Harris' 29 percent.

Polls statewide open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m

This article contains reporting from The Associated Press