Poll: Strong bipartisan majorities in swing states oppose criminalizing abortion

Significant majorities of voters in six key swing states do not want to criminalize abortion before fetal viability, according to a poll released Wednesday. 

The survey by the University of Maryland’s Program for Public Consultation found large bipartisan majorities in Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin do not want abortion to be criminalized before fetal viability. 

Democrats are leaning heavily on abortion this election, and reproductive rights have been front and center politically in the two years since the conservative Supreme Court majority ended Roe v. Wade. 

Support for criminalizing abortion at all stages of pregnancy ranged from 7 percent to 13 percent in the swing states, including a low of 10 percent to a high of 25 percent of Republicans. Nationally, support is 11 percent, according to the survey.  

The numbers in Nevada and Arizona bode well for those states' backers of ballot measures that would protect access to abortion up to fetal viability and prevent the states from criminalizing it. At least 69 percent of Republicans and 90 percent of Democrats in both states said they oppose criminalizing abortion. 

Before making their decision, respondents were informed that criminalizing abortion can mean prison time or fines for the doctor, the woman, or both. Pollsters offered “strong arguments” for and against criminalizing abortion and informed respondents that if they choose to criminalize it, they would be able to choose who should be punished. 

In addition, the poll found majorities of voters in both parties across all the swing states, except Nevada Republicans, support a federal law governing abortion.  

That runs counter to the messaging from former President Trump, who insists that the end of Roe meant states can decide abortion policy, whether through legislation or ballot measure.  

Large majorities of both parties nationally and in swing states said they support policies that seek to reduce unintended pregnancies and abortions through access to birth control, including requiring all public schools to provide education about birth control. At least 74 percent of Republicans in every swing state said they supported such a policy.