New Poll Reaffirms that Americans Oppose Congressional Attacks on a Woman's Right to Choose
Voters want candidates who will unify behind commonsense measures to prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce the need for abortion
Washington, DC – In a lead-up to this November’s election, new research reaffirms that Americans want lawmakers to oppose interference by government and politicians into personal decisions.
The poll, released by NARAL Pro-Choice America, also shows that voters are much more likely to support candidates who emphasize practical prevention measures like birth control and honest, realistic sex education. Voters are much less likely to support incumbents or candidates who oppose these commonsense prevention measures, which include making emergency contraception, often called the “morning-after” pill, available in emergency rooms for rape and incest victims or ensuring that pharmacists fill birth-control prescriptions.
Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said that the research reveals an opportunity for pro-choice candidates to capitalize on the public’s opposition to divisive attacks on a woman’s right to choose, while communicating a positive, values-based message.
“This new poll reaffirms that Americans support the values of freedom, privacy, and personal responsibility, and that means they don’t want politicians interfering in personal decisions,” Keenan said. “We’re going to do everything possible to make sure voters know that the current anti-choice Congress is out of step with their values when it comes to protecting a woman’s right to choose. Voters want solutions, not politically motivated attacks – and the best way to achieve this goal is by helping to elect more pro-choice candidates to the House and Senate this November.”
Keenan cited key examples from the poll where Americans oppose attacks on access to reproductive-health care and support candidates who back commonsense measures that prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce the need for abortion.
* Roughly three quarters of likely voters (77 percent) agree that the government and politicians should stay out of a woman’s personal and private decision whether or not to have an abortion.
* 61 percent of voters disapprove when they hear Congress has voted 145 times in the last 10 years to restrict reproductive-health services, including abortion and birth control.
* Eight out of 10 voters agree that Americans are tired of divisive attacks over the issue of abortion and want their leaders to support real solutions to prevent unintended pregnancies.
* Two-thirds of voters disapprove of the laws, such as the one passed in South Dakota and Louisiana that would ban abortion in nearly all circumstances, even for victims of rape and incest or women whose health is at risk.
* 65 percent of voters feel less favorable toward candidates who support allowing pharmacists to refuse to fill birth-control prescriptions.
* 61 percent of voters feel more negative toward a candidate who opposes making emergency contraception available in emergency rooms for rape and incest victims.
Lake Research Partners conducted this survey for NARAL Pro-Choice America between July 11 and July 16, 2006. The poll reached 1,000 registered likely voters ages 18 or older nationwide, as well as a national sample of 100 drop-off unmarried women who voted in 2004 but not in 2002.
Contact:
Ted Miller, 202.973.3032
