Who Votes For Abortion Laws?

Abortion laws are a highly divisive issue in the US, with a clear partisan divide between Republicans and Democrats. Overall, a slim majority of Americans support legal abortion, with 63% saying it should be legal in all or most cases, and 36% saying it should be illegal in all or most cases. However, this varies significantly by demographic.

Party Affiliation

The partisan divide is clear, with 85-86% of Democrats supporting legal abortion, compared to 36% of Republicans. Independents are more likely to support legal abortion than Republicans, with 67% in favour.

Religion

The majority of religious groups support legal abortion, with the exception of White evangelical Protestants (27%), Latter-day Saints (30%), and Jehovah’s Witnesses (25%). Religiously unaffiliated Americans are the most supportive of legal abortion, at 86-87%.

Gender

There is a slight gender gap, with 62-64% of men and 64-66% of women supporting legal abortion.

Race

Majorities of all racial groups support legal abortion, with Black (71-73%) and Asian (74-76%) Americans being the most supportive.

Age

Younger Americans are the most supportive of legal abortion, with 76% of those under 30 in favour. Support decreases with age, with 59% of those over 65 supporting legal abortion.

Education

Americans with higher levels of education are more likely to support legal abortion, with 68% of college graduates in favour, compared to 56% of those with a high school education or less.

Women voters, especially younger women, are more likely to vote based on abortion laws

A Suffolk University poll from August 2024 of likely voters showed a 34-point gender gap, with women supporting Harris by 21 points and men supporting Trump by 13 points. In the same poll, for women under 45, abortion was the single most important voting issue. A separate poll by Echelon Insights in September 2024 also found a 10-point gender gap, with women favouring Harris by 11 points and men by 1 point.

Voter registration has almost tripled among Black women aged 18-29 and increased by 150% among Latina women in the same age group, relative to the same period in 2020. A survey conducted on behalf of Intersections of Our Lives, a reproductive justice collaborative, found that Black, Latina/x, and Asian American and Pacific Islander female voters think it is important for Congress to ensure that abortion is legal, affordable and accessible.

A record-high 32% of US voters say they would only vote for a candidate for major office who shares their views on abortion. This is up from 28% in 2020. Nearly twice as many pro-choice voters (40%) as pro-life voters (22%) say they will only vote for a candidate who agrees with them on abortion. This marks a reversal of the pro-life advantage between 1996 and 2020.

A majority of Americans (58%) oppose a national 16-week abortion ban, although most Republicans (63%) would favour it. Two-thirds (66%) support guaranteeing a federal right to an abortion, including three-quarters (76%) of women under 50.

More than a quarter of Black women voters say abortion is the most important issue for their vote

A survey by the health policy research firm KFF has found that more than a quarter of Black female voters (28%) describe abortion as their top issue in the 2024 US presidential election. This represents a significant shift from previous election years, when white, conservative evangelicals were more likely to consider abortion their biggest priority when voting.

The KFF poll also revealed that 12% of voters overall said that abortion was the most important issue in this year's election. However, certain groups of female voters were more likely to identify the issue as a top priority, including 28% of Black women, 19% of women living in states where abortion is banned, and 17% of women under the age of 50.

The findings suggest that the demographics of the "abortion voter" have shifted, with young Black women now making up a significant portion of this group. This shift may have important implications for the upcoming election, with abortion rights expected to energize voters, particularly women, to head to the polls.

The survey also found that among those who considered abortion their most important issue, two-thirds believed that abortion should be legal in all or most cases. This is in line with broader public opinion, as other polls have found that around 63% of Americans support legal abortion in all or most cases.

The issue of abortion has become increasingly salient in recent years, with Democrats prioritizing it as a voting issue compared to Republicans. Women, and particularly young women, are also more likely than men to say that they would only vote for a candidate who shares their views on abortion.

With the first presidential election since the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade taking place this year, the impact of abortion on voting behaviour will be an important factor to watch.

A majority of voters across parties support abortion in pregnancy-related emergencies

A record-high 32% of U.S. voters say they will only vote for a political candidate who shares their views on abortion. This is an increase of four percentage points since May 2023 and eight points since 2020. Notably, nearly twice as many pro-choice voters (40%) as pro-life voters (22%) say they will only vote for a candidate who agrees with them on abortion. This marks a reversal of the pro-life advantage between 1996 and 2020.

The shift towards more public support for abortion rights has been driven by Democrats, with no significant changes in the views of Republicans and independents. Since 2021, the percentage of Democrats identifying as pro-choice has increased by 16 points, from 70% to 86%. In contrast, just under a quarter of Republicans and a slight majority of independents hold this view.

The majority of voters across parties support abortion in pregnancy-related emergencies. 86% of adults say they support protecting access to abortion for patients experiencing pregnancy-related emergencies, such as miscarriages. This includes large majorities of Democrats, independents, and Republicans.

Additionally, two-thirds (66%) support guaranteeing a federal right to an abortion, with three-quarters (76%) of women under 50 expressing support. A large majority of Democrats (86%) and independents (67%) support such a guarantee, and a significant minority of Republicans (43%) also favour it.

The support for abortion in pregnancy-related emergencies aligns with the broader views of voters on the legality and morality of abortion. Currently, 63% say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 36% say it should be illegal in all or most cases. This represents a shift towards more tolerance for abortion in recent years.

A record-high 32% of US voters say they will only vote for a candidate who shares their views on abortion

The majority of abortion voters say that abortion should be legal in all or most cases. This is a significant shift from previous elections, when abortion voters largely identified as pro-life. The increase in pro-choice voters who prioritize the issue may have helped Democrats blunt Republican gains in the 2022 midterm elections.

Among those who say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, 38% say that they will only vote for a candidate who shares their views on the issue. In comparison, 47% consider a candidate's position on abortion as one of many factors, and 15% do not see it as a major issue.

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say that they will only vote for a candidate who shares their views on abortion (47% vs. 34%). Women are also more likely than men to prioritize abortion when voting (40% vs. 32%).

Young people between the ages of 18 and 29 are the most likely age group to say they will only vote for a candidate who shares their views on abortion (43%). This is especially true for young Democrats (53%).

Overall, the majority of US adults support abortion legality in all or most cases (63%-64%), while 35%-36% say it should be illegal in all or most cases. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to support abortion legality (85%-86% vs. 36%-43%).

The only major religious groups where a majority do not support abortion legality are White evangelical Protestants (27%), Latter-day Saints (30%), and Jehovah's Witnesses (25%).

Democrats are more likely to vote for candidates who support abortion rights

A KFF Health Tracking Poll found that about 1 in 8 voters (12%) consider abortion to be the most important issue for their vote in the 2024 elections. This group largely consists of women voters, including Democratic women, women of reproductive age, and Black women voters. The poll also revealed that a majority of these "abortion voters" support abortion being legal in all or most cases, and are more likely to vote for President Biden than former President Trump.

Additionally, a Gallup poll showed that a record-high 32% of U.S. voters would only vote for a candidate who shares their views on abortion. This intensity is particularly notable among pro-choice voters, with nearly twice as many pro-choice voters as pro-life voters stating that they will only vote for a candidate who agrees with them on abortion. The poll also found that a slight majority of Democratic registered voters (52%) now prioritize abortion as a single-issue when voting, up from 37% in 2022.

The prioritization of abortion rights among Democratic voters is further emphasized by a PRRI survey, which found that Democrats (47%) are more likely than Republicans (34%) to say that they would only vote for a candidate who shares their views on abortion. This gap is even more pronounced in battleground states, with Democrats being 12 percentage points more likely than Republicans to prioritize abortion as a voting issue.

The support for abortion rights among Democrats is also reflected in their views on the morality of abortion. A Gallup poll found that since 2022, a majority of U.S. adults, including a significant proportion of Democrats, have said that abortion is morally acceptable.

Furthermore, the impact of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade cannot be understated. This decision has mobilized voters, particularly women, to prioritize abortion rights when casting their ballots. Voter registration has increased significantly among women, especially Black and Latina women, indicating that abortion and the presence of a female candidate on the ticket can drive female voter turnout.

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