California ballot measure to guarantee right to abortion has strong support among voters, poll finds
An overwhelming majority of California voters have abortion on their minds as the November election approaches, according to a poll released Wednesday that also shows strong support for a ballot measure responding to the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
More than 80 percent of registered voters consider abortion to be important in the upcoming election and 71 percent plan to vote for Proposition 1, an amendment to the California constitution that would prohibit the state from interfering with a woman’s right to an abortion and guarantees access to contraceptives, according to the poll from the U.S. Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies.
It's a reflection of the deep support for abortion rights in California as many other states begin to impose restrictions on the practice following the June 24 Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
Proposition 1 supporters welcomed the polls results but warned that abortion rights activists shouldn’t get complacent.
“While the numbers released today are encouraging, we cannot leave anything to chance,” said state Senate President pro tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), co-chair of the Yes on Prop1 campaign. “More than ever, we need voters to turn out and say yes on Prop 1 to set an example for the rest of the country that abortion is a fundamental right and should be protected as such in our Constitution.”
Abortion is widely expected to be a major motivating factor in the midterms this year. In California, which has some of the most liberal reproductive rights policies in the nation, the Supreme Court’s decision generated a ferocious backlash and inspired a coordinated campaign to increase abortion access for both Californians and those seeking help from out of state.
The decision by state lawmakers to place Prop 1 on the ballot has the potential to drive up turnout for Democrats, and some speculate it could affect the outcome of a handful of tight Congressional races in the Golden State amid the strong feelings on the issue reflected in the poll.
The survey, conducted Aug. 9 to Aug. 15 among 9,254 California registered voters, found 68 percent disapprove of the Supreme Court decision that overturned the right to abortion in the U.S. Constitution.
The support for Prop 1 had solid majorities of support across all regions, ages, and ethnicities — but splinters along party lines. Democrats support the measure 89 percent to 5 percent, while 35 percent of Republicans were in favor. No party preference voters, who make up nearly a quarter of the state's electorate, back the measure 74 percent to 14 percent.
The poll also found robust support for new policies California lawmakers took in the immediate wake of the Supreme Court's decision. Sixty-five percent of respondents said they approve of laws signed by the governor that aim to help out-of-state women obtain abortions in California.
