According to a recent KFF survey, abortion has overtaken inflation as the primary concern for women under 30 in the upcoming presidential election.
Polling 678 female voters from September 12 to October 1, the survey revealed that approximately 40% of young women now prioritize the issue of abortion, a significant leap from 20% in the same survey last spring.
While inflation still remains the top issue for women over 30 and across all women, younger voters are increasingly focused on reproductive rights.
Across age groups, women ranked abortion as their third major concern, following inflation and threats to democracy, but ahead of immigration issues.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Currently, 13 states have total abortion bans, and four others restrict access to the first six weeks of pregnancy.
This shift has made abortion a key focus in Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign against former President Donald Trump. Harris has branded herself as a champion for reproductive rights, contrasting sharply with Trump, whose Supreme Court appointments led to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
A recent campaign ad features Hadley Duvall, a child sex abuse survivor, sharing her fight to obtain an abortion in Kentucky at age 12, emphasizing the dire need for abortion access.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The survey also showed that two-thirds of women believe the election will greatly influence abortion rights, an increase from just over half earlier this year. A notable 90% of Democratic women support Harris over her opponents, while fewer than 20% of Republican women feel the same.
Most respondents expressed strong confidence that Harris would sign a federal law protecting abortion if it passed Congress, whereas many suspect that Trump would approve legislation banning abortion after 15 weeks, despite his recent comments suggesting otherwise.
Abortion issues are poised to impact state-level elections too, with nine states having ballot measures that could enshrine abortion rights into their constitutions.
Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld emergency abortions in Texas, allowing them to proceed if they are necessary for life-threatening situations, amid ongoing debates about Texas’ strict abortion regulations.
The survey also highlighted varying voter sentiments as Election Day approaches on November 5.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Republican women reported increased frustration and lower optimism compared to earlier this year, while Democratic women experienced a surge in enthusiasm despite heightened anxiety around the election.
Satisfaction with their presidential candidates remained stable for Republican women, with just over half content with Trump’s handling of reproductive rights, whereas satisfaction among Democratic women rose dramatically from one-third to 75%.
Ohio Senator JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential candidate, recently stated that a Trump administration would not fund Planned Parenthood, reinforcing the campaign’s stance against taxpayer-funded late-term abortions.
This report incorporates information from the Associated Press.