Washington, D.C., Sept. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thursday, September 24 — Chamber of Mothers and Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America launched a national nonpartisan digital voter guide designed to turn maternal health into a mainstream voting issue ahead of the 2026 elections. The tool, available now at votelikeamother2026.com, gives the nation's 85 million mothers a clear, state-specific picture of maternal health outcomes and the policy choices on their ballots that can improve them.
The voter guide is part of Chamber of Mothers’ Vote Like a Mother campaign, which asks mothers to text MOTHER to 26797 to find out what issues are on their ballot and how to vote for issues that are important to them and mothers everywhere.
In the midst of midterm elections, America's maternal mortality rate outpaces every other developed nation, and the risk doesn’t end at delivery—two-thirds of these deaths take place in the postpartum year, often with no follow-up care reaching 40% of new mothers. Black women are more than three times as likely to die a pregnancy-related death than white women, with American Indian and Alaska Native women two times as likely; rural mothers bear the brunt of this risk, made worse by a wave of obstetric unit closures sweeping through rural hospitals. The majority of these deaths are preventable: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts the preventable share of pregnancy-related deaths at 87%.
With governors' races on the ballot in 39 states across the country in 2026, state executive races are among the most consequential levers for maternal health policy. By pairing hard data with a direct path to registration and candidate information, the Vote Like a Mother voter guide aims to make maternal health a deciding issue in living rooms and voting booths alike.
"The solution to America's maternal health crisis isn't hard to conjure, yet too many elected officials, regardless of party, continue to overlook what moms ask for and need: paid leave, affordable, accessible childcare, and robust investments in maternal healthcare,” said Erin Erenberg, CEO of Chamber of Mothers. “We are proud to partner with Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America to give moms the tools and understanding to vote like a mother—which means voting your values and for candidates and ballot measures that support a safe, healthy, and whole experience for moms and kids alike."
“It’s unacceptable that where you live still determines whether you survive having a baby in this country—and unconscionable that most moms have no idea how their own state stacks up,” said Robin Reck, Executive Director of Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America. “The voter guide fixes that. It puts the numbers next to the names on the ballot so moms can hold candidates to account for the care they get before, during, and after birth. This year, no mom should have to choose between her family and her vote. Her vote is how she protects her family."
The Vote Like a Mother voter guide’s interactive map lets users click into any state to see its maternal mortality rate, benchmarked against the developed-world average, alongside profiles of that state's 2026 governor candidates. The guide is built to show, concretely, how the outcomes on the map connect to the choices on the ballot—because governors and state legislatures shape the policies that most directly affect maternal health, from Medicaid preemptive eligibility coverage to rural hospital funding to home visiting.
The guide highlights that quality maternal healthcare is especially critical—and especially uneven—for racial and ethnic minorities, military families, and women in rural areas, populations that often face the steepest gaps in access and outcomes.
How It Works
Vote Like a Mother’s voter guide walks voters through three simple steps:
- Register and confirm voter info—voters can text MOTHER to 26797 to register or check their registration status, and are encouraged to share the tool with 10 other mothers.
- Check your ballot—a secure ballot-builder tool at vote411.org/CoM shows voters exactly who and what will appear on their ballot.
- Learn the candidates—voters select their state to see maternal health data and information on 2026 gubernatorial candidates.
Data on maternal mortality rates comes from March of Dimes and the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, combined with state election filings, and is detailed in full on the site's Data Sources page. Mothers can explore their state's data and check their ballot now at votelikeamother2026.com.
About Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America (HMHBA): HMHBA is a national, bipartisan, and independent nonprofit created by Olivia Walton and Cara Osborne in May 2026 with one ambitious goal: cut the U.S. maternal death rate in half in five years. HMHBA brings together leaders across government, business, health care, philanthropy, and communities to accelerate proven solutions, align action, and make maternal health a national priority. HMHBA believes healthy moms lead to healthy families, healthy families lead to healthy communities, and healthy communities lead to a healthy economy.
About Chamber of Mothers: Chamber of Mothers is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) dedicated to winning paid leave, affordable, accessible childcare, and historic investments in maternal health. Through grassroots movements, 50+ local chapters, and community-building, Chamber of Mothers empowers mothers to create the America they want to see, driving change at the federal, state, and local levels and regularly bringing mothers’ stories to elected officials in Washington, D.C. For more, visit chamberofmothers.com and follow along on Instagram and Substack.
Press Office Healthy Moms Healthy Babies America 2032498764 Press@hmhba.org
