Americans’ Abortion Views as 2024 Election Nears

As abortion becomes a central issue ahead of the November elections, polling shows why Republicans have tried to downplay it: Americans broadly support keeping abortion legal, though support varies across demographics and stages of pregnancy. Gallup polls show 85% of Americans believe abortion should be legal in at least certain circumstances as of May, up from 76% in 1975. An AP/NORC poll in June found 70% think abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

Support for broadly legal abortion has remained steady since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Pew Research found it increased from 61% in March 2022 to 63% in 2024. AP/NORC reported a jump from 64% to 70% from July 2023 to July 2024. Before its overturn, Roe v. Wade was popular, with a November 2021 Quinnipiac poll finding 63% agreed with the ruling. Gallup reports that 60% believe overturning Roe was a “bad thing” as of May.

More Americans find abortion morally acceptable. Gallup reports that 54% now believe it’s morally okay, reversing a decades-long trend where more people believed it was morally wrong. Abortion continues to motivate voters. Gallup found that 32% of voters in May will only vote for candidates who share their position on abortion. A Public Religion Research Institute poll found Democrats, women, and younger voters are particularly motivated by this issue.

Only 25% are somewhat satisfied with the nation’s abortion laws, with 44% of dissatisfied respondents wanting less strict laws. A Kaiser Family Foundation poll found 67% of women in states with abortion bans want the procedure to be at least mostly legal. A PRRI poll found majorities in all but five states support abortion being at least mostly legal. No state had more than 16% of respondents wanting abortion illegal in all cases.

A June AP/NORC poll found that 79% of voters oppose a nationwide abortion ban, including 64% of Republicans. Majorities also oppose federal bans after six weeks (73%) and 15 weeks (60%). Despite Republican opposition, 61% support keeping abortion pill mifepristone legal. A Pew Research poll found 54% support medication abortion being legal.

Pew found that 35% agree that an embryo is a person with rights from conception, a view supporting “fetal personhood,” which would outlaw abortion. A Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 20% of OBGYNs have faced constraints in providing miscarriage and emergency pregnancy care since Roe was overturned. A June CBS News/YouGov poll found 67% concerned abortion bans put pregnant women at risk.

A PORES/SurveyMonkey survey found 91% support abortion if the woman’s life is in danger and 86% in cases of rape or incest. AP/NORC found that 69% support protecting access for medical emergencies. Support drops as pregnancy progresses: 76% support abortion after six weeks, 54% after 15 weeks, and only 30% after 24 weeks.

Democrats are more likely to support abortion rights than Republicans, with 85% of Democrats versus 41% of Republicans backing it being mostly legal. 40% of Republican women identify as “pro-choice.” Significant majorities support abortion in medical emergencies and in cases of rape or incest. Most religious groups, except white evangelical Protestants, Latter-day Saints, Hispanic Protestants, and Jehovah’s Witnesses, support abortion rights. Nonreligious Americans overwhelmingly support it (86%).

Women (64%) slightly more support abortion than men (61%). Higher support among Black (73%) and Asian (76%) Americans compared to white (60%) and Hispanic (59%) respondents. Support decreases with age: 76% of 18-29-year-olds support it versus 57% of those 50-64. More education correlates with higher support: 70% with a postgraduate degree support abortion being mostly legal.

Abortion will likely be a key election issue, especially with Vice President Kamala Harris leading the Democratic efforts on reproductive rights. Republicans, including Trump, have tried to downplay their opposition. Ballot measures on abortion will be on ballots in several states. How Harris’ stance on abortion will impact her candidacy remains uncertain. Polls suggest abortion-rights supporters had reservations about Biden’s candidacy, which Harris might overcome.

Republican bans on abortion have raised fears about restrictions on IVF and contraception. Polling shows strong support for access to these services, with majorities favoring laws protecting them. Gallup found that 54% of Americans identify as “pro-choice” and 44% as “pro-life” in 2024, a change from previous years. Identification as “pro-choice” peaked at 56% in 1995 and varied widely since. Abortion became legal nationwide with Roe v. Wade in 1973 and was affirmed in 2016. The overturning of Roe in June 2022 led to numerous state bans and ongoing legal battles.