ICYMI: New Polling Shows Voters Are Keeping the Heat on Politicians One Year Post-Dobbs 

Washington, D.C. — Saturday marks one year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending the federal constitutional right to abortion. However, Americans are proving that time does not heal all wounds. The majority of the public still strongly oppose the Dobbs decision, becoming even more supportive of abortion rights since last year. They are fired up and ready to vote for candidates who will stand up and fight for their reproductive rights. 

It may have been a year ago, but voters are keeping the heat on lawmakers to protect their access to basic health care. Below are four key takeaways from new polling released this week: 

1: Dobbs and state abortion bans have made Americans more supportive of abortion rights. 

• According to a USA Today/Suffolk University poll, one in four Americans report that state efforts to restrict abortion access made them more supportive of abortion rights.
• By an almost 4-1 margin, those whose views on abortion have changed in the past year said they have become more supportive of legal abortion, not less supportive.

2: Overturning Roe v. Wade is still really unpopular. 

• A NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National poll reports that by a 17-point margin 57% of Americans still oppose the overturning of Roe v. Wade nearly a year ago. 
• USA Today/Suffolk University finds similar results: 58% oppose the overturn of Roe by an almost 2-1 margin. 
• A CBS/YouGov’s poll finds that 57% of Americans believe that the Dobbs decision was bad for the country by a 14-point margin. 
  • Of those 57%, 86% believe Dobbs negatively impacted the health and lives of women more at risk, 81% think it was bad because a constitutional right was taken away, and 78% believe that it was bad because states are making abortion access harder.

3: The public strongly opposes a federal abortion ban and a majority support a federal law ensuring abortion access. 

• According to USA Today/Suffolk University, Americans overwhelmingly oppose a federal abortion ban: by a 66 point margin, 80% oppose the idea, including 65% of Republicans and 83% of independents.  
• Conversely, the same poll found that by 53%-39%, Americans support a federal law ensuring access to abortion, including 80% of Democrats and 53% of independents. 

4: Abortion remains a key issue for voters. 

• USA Today/Suffolk University finds that more than three in four Americans said abortion would continue to be an important issue for them and 20% said it would be the most important issue.
• According to polling from Gallup, a record high 28% of voters will only vote for a candidate who shares their view on abortion. 56% say that abortion is a factor in their voting. 
  • Currently, 33% of registered voters identify as pro-choice compared to 23% for pro-life identifying voters who say they will only vote for candidates that agree with them on abortion. This advantage for abortion rights supporters is new since last year. 

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Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational, advocacy, and limited electoral activity, including grassroots organizing, legislative advocacy, and voter education.