Florida, Arizona women oppose states setting abortion policy
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About 7 in 10 women in Florida and Arizona say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to a new KFF Women's Health Survey.
Why it matters: The survey offers a glimpse at sentiments held in the two closely watched states where abortion rights measures will be on the ballot this November.
What they found: Nearly 3 in 4 women said they oppose leaving abortion policy up to the states. That included 53% of Republicans.
- 63% of all women surveyed said they oppose a nationwide ban on abortion at 15 weeks, including roughly 41% of Republicans.
Awareness of abortion access was limited among women of reproductive age, particularly in Florida and Arizona, according to KFF, which polled a nationally representative sample of 3,901 women ages 18 to 49.
- Only 1 in 5 in Florida were aware medication abortion is still legal in their state up to six weeks into a pregnancy, according to the survey, which was conducted between May 15 to June 18.
- Roughly 1 in 10 Arizona women said they were aware medication abortion is still legal in their state and can be obtained online.
- Roughly a third of Floridians and 40% of Arizona women did not know where to get surgical or medication abortion, or where to find the information should they need one.
The big picture: Abortion will be a huge issue that's expected to drive turnout in November, with several states due to weigh ballot measures.
- This week, Arizona formally certified a proposed amendment to the state constitution that establishes a right to abortion.
- The Florida Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that voters could consider a measure that would enshrine abortion access until fetal viability — around 24–28 weeks of pregnancy — in the state constitution.
- Half the states have imposed limits on abortion in the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a federal right to the procedure.
