WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — A new study by health policy research organization KFF sheds light on the issue of abortion and how it might factor into the upcoming election.
Researchers at KFF surveyed thousands of women across the U.S. from ages 18 to 49 about the issue of abortion.
Researcher Brittni Frederiksen had a few key takeaways from the data.
“Abortion is a relatively common healthcare experience. One in seven women say they’ve had an abortion and that’s across party lines,” Frederiksen said.
She says their study also showed many women have concern about abortion access.
“Six in ten women said that they were concerned that if they needed an abortion or someone they knew needed one in a life or health circumstance that they wouldn’t be able to get one,” Frederiksen said.
It remains to be seen how those figures impact voting trends in the 2024 election.
George Washington University political science professor Todd Belt predicts it’s going to be a major focus in the coming months.
“Abortion is going to be a big issue in this campaign. Democrats know that this is really Republican’s Achilles heel. That’s why they’ve gotten it on the ballot in eight states already,” Belt said.
That includes Florida and Arizona, where voters will decide whether to protect abortions in their state constitutions. KFF researchers specifically zeroed in on the data from those states and found trends that were similar to their national survey.
“Overwhelmingly in Florida and Arizona, just like the U.S. as a whole, women want a nationwide right to abortion. They also oppose leaving it up to the states to decide,” Frederiksen said.
Belt expects Democrats will work to use this issue to try to mobilize voters.
“Elections aren’t just about convincing people in the middle. They’re about getting your supporters out to vote, and I think Democrats think this is going to help them,” Belt said.
He points out the last presidential election came down to a small handful of votes across only a couple of swing states, and this one could too.
