Janet Morton Jirousek opted for early voting in Fayette County, Georgia, casting her ballot for Kamala Harris with a specific goal: to ensure the preservation of the Affordable Care Act.

At 72, Jirousek is a retired nurse practitioner who is just a year post-cancer diagnosis. Despite undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, she requires a costly Keytruda immunotherapy infusion every six weeks to maximize her chances for survival. For her, the upcoming 2024 election represents a critical point for her health.

“If Trump wins and dismantles the ACA as he intends, I could lose my insurance protection,” she told YSL News. If the ACA is revoked, insurers could deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions like cancer. “If Trump is elected, it would spell my doom. I’m terrified he might win.”

She describes her medical costs—doctor appointments, chair infusions, and regular PET scans—as “astronomical.” Without ACA coverage, a single infusion would cost an overwhelming $6,500, and her treatments from last year would have reached an astonishing $750,000.

During his 2016 presidential campaign, former President Trump vowed to abolish the ACA, known as Obamacare. Throughout his presidency, he made several unsuccessful attempts to undermine the health care law and continued to criticize it during his 2024 campaign.

However, in a March 2024 post on Truth Social, Trump claimed to have shifted his stance, stating that he now desires to enhance the ACA, making it “much, much, much better” and affordable for Americans.

With less than two weeks until the election, the Trump campaign has yet to clarify how improvements will be implemented. When asked about specific plans during his only debate with Vice President Harris, Trump merely noted that he possessed “concepts of a plan.”

Voter engagement influenced by Roe v. Wade ruling

A long line formed at the Peachtree City library for the second week of early voting, with some individuals waiting up to an hour to cast their votes in this traditionally Republican Fayette County.

Blake Hayes, a 28-year-old IT specialist, opted for early voting due to apprehensions surrounding the state election board’s contentious new regulations. These included a last-minute decision to hand-count ballots, which was later overturned following a flurry of court hearings.

“Voting early means my ballot would be submitted before any unforeseen complications arise,” Hayes stated.

Similar to Jirousek, Hayes is also motivated by health care access, especially regarding abortion rights.

“My wife and I hope to have children in the future,” Hayes shared. “I am alarmed by the cases of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller in Georgia, where medical assistance was denied due to state laws.”

Amber Thurman and Candi Miller tragically died after Georgia’s six-week abortion ban took effect in 2022, with their deaths deemed “preventable” and directly linked to the state’s restrictive abortion legislation. “What if that were us?” Hayes pondered.

Another early voter, Genevieve Ray, expressed that while she appreciates Republican tax cuts for her family, she cannot “in good conscience” support Trump.

“As a woman, I’m concerned about his actions reversing Roe v. Wade,” Ray said. “As I’m currently pregnant, I worry that if complications arose, the care I would need might not be available here in Georgia.”

As the line began to shorten, Fayette County voters exited the polling location proudly wearing “I Voted” stickers. One man headed to his truck, flying a “TRUMP 2024” flag from the back.