A recent survey by Lake Snell Perry reveals that voters believe the right to an abortion is currently being challenged and that they are worried about this challenge. Furthermore, voters nationwide support Roe v. Wade and believe that access to abortion is important. The survey reached 1150 registered voters ages 18 or older who reported they are likely to vote in the November 2000 general election for President and Congress. The survey was conducted between December 13 and December 19, 1999. The total margin of error for this survey is +/- 3.1%.
Roe versus Wade:
Voters are aware of Roe v. Wade and favor the 1973 decision. Eighty-three percent of voters say they have heard of Roe v. Wade, compared to just 17 percent who say they have not heard of the decision or are unsure. At least two-thirds of every demographic, geographic and political sub-group has heard about Roe v. Wade.
Of those who know about Roe v. Wade, more than six out of ten favor the decision (62 percent favor), including more than a third who are strongly favorable (38 percent). In contrast, less than one third of voters oppose the decision (33 percent; 22 percent strongly oppose) and 5 percent are unsure.
Support for Roe v. Wade significantly increases as you look at the younger cohorts. Voters under 30 are the most favorable toward the decision (77 percent favor, 52 percent strongly favor), followed by voters ages 30 to 39 (63 percent favor, 44 percent strongly favor). In contrast, seniors are the least favorable, with a plurality in favor of Roe v. Wade (45 percent favor, 25 percent strongly favor).
Furthermore, voters believe it is likely that the next President will have a large say in whether the right to an abortion is overturned through the appointment of new Supreme Court Justices and a plurality are worried about the possibility. Half of voters say it is likely that the next President could overturn a woman's right to choose through Supreme Court appointments (51 percent; 17 percent very likely), while 41 percent of voters say that this is not likely to happen (11 percent not likely at all). Only 7 percent of voters are unsure.
Forty-three percent of voters say they would be worried if the next President tried to overturn Roe v. Wade through Supreme Court Appointments, including 18 percent who would be very worried. However, 54 percent say that they would not be worried (29 percent not worried at all).
Notably, there is a strong age difference evident in terms of concern about overturning Roe v. Wade. Twenty-seven percent of seniors say they would be worried if the next President tried to overturn Roe v. Wade through Supreme Court Appointments (11 percent very worried), compared to over half of voters under 30 (54 percent, 23 percent very worried). In particular, younger women say they would be the most worried — 58 percent worried including 25 percent who say they would be very worried.
This issue has the potential to affect the upcoming Presidential elections, as 52 percent of Democrats say they would be worried, 46 percent of Independents — who will be key swing voters — say they would be worried, and 62 percent of pro-choice voters say they would be worried if the next President tried to overturn Roe v. Wade through Supreme Court Appointments.
Notably, more than four in ten voters believe it is likely that a woman's right to an abortion will be overturned in their lifetime (42 percent; 11 percent very likely). In contrast, half of voters believe it is unlikely this right will be overturned (50 percent), including 20 percent who believe it is very unlikely. Eight percent of voters are unsure.
Anti-choice voters are overall more likely and more intense than pro-choice voters in their belief that this right will end in their lifetime (46 percent; 16 percent very likely to 40 percent; 9 percent very likely, respectively). Furthermore, Republican voters are the most likely to believe the right to an abortion will be overturned (47 percent; 17 percent very likely), compared to Democrats (42 percent; 12 percent very likely) and Independents (36 percent; 4 percent very likely).
Attitudes on Abortion Rights:
Nearly three-fourths of voters believe the right to an abortion is currently being challenged, including a plurality who strongly believe this right is being challenged (72 percent; 43 percent strongly). Only two in ten voters do not believe the right to an abortion is currently being challenged (19 percent; 8 percent strongly), and 8 percent are unsure. Moreover, of those voters who believe the right to an abortion is being challenged, half are worried by the perceived challenges (50 percent; 19 percent very worried).
Strong majorities of voters across every demographic, geographic and political sub-group believe the right to an abortion is currently being challenged. Notably, a gender gap exists with women more likely than men to believe the right to an abortion is currently being challenged (76 percent to 69 percent, respectively). Women are also more worried about this challenge than men (56 percent to 42 percent, respectively).
Additionally, as seen in past surveys, nearly six out of ten voters say it is personally important to ensure that abortion remains accessible (59 percent important), including 29 percent who say it is very important. Less than four in ten voters believe accessibility to abortion is not important (39 percent; 25 percent not important at all).
Not surprisingly, ensuring access to abortion is more important to women than to men (63 percent to 54 percent, respectively), as well as to pro-choice voters compared to anti-choice voters (85 percent to 26 percent, respectively). Politically, Democrats are the most likely overall and the most intense in believing that ensuring accessibility to abortion is important (71 percent; 41 very important), followed by Independents (67 percent; 27 percent very important) and then Republicans (39 percent; 15 percent very important).
Furthermore, younger voters place more importance on access to abortion than older voters. Younger voters (66 percent), especially voters under 30 (74 percent), are more likely than older voters (51 percent) to say it is important to ensure access to abortions.
