Most voters mentioned they suppose November’s presidential election may have a “main” influence on abortion entry in accordance with a brand new ballot from KFF, although extra individuals mentioned they care concerning the economic system and inflation than abortion or some other particular person well being problem.
In line with the ballot launched Tuesday forward of the presidential debate, 61 p.c of voters mentioned the result of this 12 months’s presidential election may have a significant influence on entry to abortion on this nation — up 10 proportion factors from an identical ballot in March.
The shift occurred primarily amongst Democratic and unbiased voters and is probably going attributable to the eye Vice President Harris has given to the difficulty.
Her capability to speak about abortion in a approach that President Biden couldn’t is energizing a core group of voters: Democratic girls of reproductive age. In line with the survey, about one in 5 in that group named abortion as their prime voting problem.
“Again when President Biden was the Democratic nominee, they have been actually unenthusiastic. They have been much less more likely to say that they have been motivated to vote,” mentioned Ashley Kirzinger, director of survey methodology for KFF.
The share of Democratic-leaning girls of reproductive age who mentioned they suppose the presidential election may have a significant influence on abortion entry elevated 31 proportion factors previously six months, in accordance with the survey.
Amongst all voters, greater than 50 p.c mentioned they belief Harris to do a greater job on abortion than Trump, whereas simply 34 p.c mentioned they belief Trump over Harris. In line with KFF, that’s an even bigger lead on the difficulty than Biden noticed on an identical query earlier than he dropped out of the race.
However abortion stays far down the checklist of priorities for voters. In line with the ballot, 4 in ten voters selected the economic system and inflation as an important problem figuring out their vote this fall, adopted by “threats to democracy.”
“It is vital to appreciate, if you concentrate on issues which are motivating individuals to vote, and what’s prime of thoughts, abortion has actually by no means jumped as much as a prime problem,” Kirzinger mentioned. “Voters are complicated, and there is not one problem that is going to encourage all voters … however that does not imply that voters do not suppose that abortion is on the poll when evaluating these two candidates.”
Solely 7 p.c of respondents mentioned abortion was an important problem. Even amongst Democrats, simply 9 p.c mentioned abortion was an important problem.
Democratic voters have been extra more likely to say they are going to solely vote for a candidate who shares their view on abortion, however most mentioned it is only one of many components.
Amongst all well being points, an important to voters of each events and independents was well being care prices. When voters have been requested to supply in their very own phrases what well being care problem they most wish to hear the candidates speak about, about 4 in ten voters throughout partisanship mentioned the price of well being care.
The survey of 1,312 adults was carried out Aug. 26 via Sept. 4. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 4 proportion factors.
