Top election issue for younger women is abortion, survey finds

Abortion has surpassed inflation as the top issue for women under 30 in the upcoming presidential election, according to a new survey.

The survey, produced by KFF, polled 678 female voters from September 12 to October 1. About 40 percent of young women now prioritize abortion, a significant increase from around 20 percent in the same survey conducted last spring.

While inflation remains the leading issue for women over 30 and overall, younger women have shifted their focus to reproductive rights.

Across all age groups, women ranked abortion overall as their third-greatest concern, after inflation and threats to democracy but ahead of immigration.

Currently, 13 states enforce complete abortion bans, while four others restrict abortions to the first six weeks of pregnancy.

The changes have made access to abortion a central theme in Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign against former President Donald Trump.

Harris has positioned herself as a defender of reproductive rights, contrasting her stance with Trump, whose U.S. Supreme Court appointments facilitated the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

A recent Harris campaign ad featured Hadley Duvall, a survivor of child sex abuse by her stepfather from a young age. Titled “Monster,” it highlighted Duvall’s struggle to access abortion care in Kentucky during a dangerous pregnancy at age 12.

The survey also indicated that two-thirds of women overall believe the election outcome will significantly impact abortion rights, up from just over half earlier this year. A majority of women preferred Harris’ approach, with 90 percent of Democrats supporting her. Fewer than 20 percent of Republican women favored her stance.

Most respondents expressed confidence that Harris would sign a federal law to protect abortion access if Congress passed such legislation.

Many said they believed Trump would likely sign a federal law banning abortion after 15 weeks, despite his recent statement indicating he would veto such a measure.

Abortion-related concerns extend beyond the presidential race. Upcoming state-level elections could influence reproductive rights, with ballot measures in nine states aimed at enshrining abortion protections in state constitutions.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld a ruling allowing emergency abortions that violate Texas law if deemed necessary for life-threatening conditions. The decision came after a Texas judge blocked enforcement of the state’s abortion ban in such cases, citing concerns for women experiencing serious complications like preeclampsia.

The survey also highlighted differing levels of enthusiasm among voters ahead of Election Day on November 5.

Republican women showed slightly less optimism and more frustration compared to earlier in the year, while Democratic women reported increased enthusiasm and hopefulness despite rising anxiety.

Satisfaction with presidential candidates remained steady among Republican women—just over half expressed contentment with the way reproductive rights have been discussed by Trump. In contrast, satisfaction among Democratic women surged from one-third to 75 percent.

Ohio Senator JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential candidate, indicated last week that a Trump administration would defund Planned Parenthood.

After Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, Vance said: “On the question of defunding Planned Parenthood, look, I mean our view is we don’t think that taxpayers should fund late-term abortions.”

He described this as a “consistent view” of the Trump campaign.

This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.