Bombshell SCOTUS leak on Roe v. Wade on Indiana voters' minds as they hit the polls

The leaked U.S. Supreme Court opinion draft that states the majority of justices intend to overturn Roe v. Wade was top of mind for some Indiana residents as they voted in Tuesday's primary election.

Justice Samuel Alito authored the draft in response to the December oral arguments in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Center. In it, he said it is time "to return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives."

Supreme Court leak authentic, but decision not final

In a statement Tuesday, Chief Justice John Roberts said the document was "authentic," but "does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case."

More: Indiana politicians react to leaked SCOTUS draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade

The news that broke late Monday night that the right to an abortion could soon be illegal in many states further motivated Danielle Perez, a 31-year-old stay-at-home mom, to get out to vote on Tuesday.

“I feel like my vote is largely symbolic,” Perez said, adding that the possibility of overturning Roe “is untenable to me.”

“We’ve got to vote for the next generation too,” added Perez.

Justin Haney, 36, said that abortion rights being threatened means voting is more important than ever. He also reflected on the timing of the leak: why did it happen now?

"I don’t know if someone from the right leaked it so the issue of there being a leak would be more of distraction than what is actually discussed, or maybe it was someone with sympathy for the left who wanted to energize the vote," he said.

Haney said that overturning Roe was additionally concerning because it could threaten other precedents decided by the Supreme Court. Haney, who said he's in an interracial marriage, is concerned that if Roe is overturned, interracial and same-sex marriage rights could be next.

“There’s a lot to be concerned about right now," he said. "So voting matters.”

Mike Teipen, 73, of Greenwood, is a Republican and a volunteer for state Rep. John Jacob who's running for reelection against newcomer Julie McGuire.

Teipen said Jacob represents the values and issues that are very important to him, including opposing abortion access.

Indiana would likely ban abortion if Roe v. Wade fell: What about its neighboring states?

“He’s very conservative," Teipen said. "He’s 100% pro-life. He’s a constitutional conservative. He protects the Second Amendment. He is a Christian. As a Christian, you should be a man of integrity, which I think he is.”

James Farrar, a 49-year-old Perry Township resident, also volunteers for Jacob. Farrar supports Jacob in large part because of his support for policies that would abolish abortion.

“He’s a friend of mine and we’ve done ministry for a long time,” Farrar said. “He stands for the Republican platform as it is written. He votes along the line that the party platform outlines."

Stanley Rodgers, 27, is a resident of Mapleton-Fall Creek. Voting is essential, Rodgers said, to continue to fight for civil and women’s rights.

Rodgers was thinking about Roe v. Wade being overturned and the women in his life who will be impacted, he said.

“There needs to be some way to get people to get their voice heard,” Rodgers said.

Kristine Phillips, Shari Rudavsky, Alexandria Burris, Ryan Martin and Rachel Fradette contributed to this story.

Contact IndyStar trending reporter Claire Rafford at crafford@gannett.com or on Twitter @clairerafford.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Leaked SCOTUS brief: Indiana voters discuss Roe v. Wade