Report
Nationwide Survey Shows Americans Strongly Reject Abortion Restrictions
May 4, 2023
To: NARAL Pro-Choice America
From: Ben Greenfield, Change Research
Re: Nationwide Survey Shows Americans Strongly Reject Abortion Restrictions
A new nationwide poll from Change Research of 1,208 registered voters shows that a broad majority of Americans believe decisions about abortion should be between patients and doctors. By large margins, Americans oppose restrictions on women’s right to abortion care, and reject the argument that banning abortion at 15 weeks is a reasonable compromise.
70% of voters oppose one-size-fits-all abortion bans
Seven in ten American voters reject one-size-fits-all abortion bans. This includes not only overwhelming majorities of Democratic and independent voters, but nearly half of Republicans – as well as over two-thirds of every racial or ethnic group. And 58% of voters strongly agree that these bans are dangerous, highlighting the degree to which voters of all political and demographic stripes continue to be extremely unhappy about the stripping-away of abortion rights in many parts of the country.
Americans reject the idea that 15-week bans are a reasonable compromise
By a more than 2-to-1 margin, voters are more inclined to leave abortion care decisions up to patients and their doctors, rather than enact 15-week bans. Democratic and independent voters overwhelmingly prefer to leave these decisions up to patients and doctors. Even among Republicans, only a slim majority – 54% – prefer 15-week bans.
73% believe abortion restrictions have gone too far
When reminded of some of the recent rollbacks on access to abortion, 73% of voters agree that things have gone too far, and that politicians should stop interfering with decisions about abortion care – including 62% who strongly agree. Even a majority (51%) of those who voted for Donald Trump in 2020 agree, as do more than 3 in 4 independents.
Additionally, majorities of every demographic and geographic group agree that things have gone too far. Over two-thirds of every racial or ethnic group believe it. Even among rural white men – who tend to be less supportive of abortion care than virtually any other group – 55% believe things have gone too far.
A full disclosure of the survey’s methodology is available here.