These are the topline results of a YouGov/Huffington Post survey of 1000 US adults interviewed January 14 - 15, 2014 on abortion. The results show that Americans are evenly divided on the subject of abortion but that people tend to think that the Roe v. Wade decision should be upheld. The margin of error is 3.8%.
Click here to see full tables and demographic crossbreaks
When do you think abortion should be legal?
Abortion should always be legal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21%
Abortion should be generally legal, but with some restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27%
Abortion should be generally illegal, except in special circumstances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33%
Abortion should always be illegal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6%
The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade established that a woman has a constitutional right to an abortion until the fetus is viable outside the womb, around 22 to 24 weeks of pregnancy. Do you think this Supreme Court decision should be overturned, or kept in place?
Overturned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33%
Kept in place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20%
Do you think Congress should pass more restrictions on abortions, lift existing restrictions on abortion, or keep restrictions about the same?
Lift existing restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21%
About the same . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30%
More restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15%
Which of the following comes closer to your opinion?
Decisions on abortion should be made by a woman and her doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64%
Government has a right and obligation to pass restrictions on abortion . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13%
Do you think abortion is a major issue facing the country, a minor issue, or not an issue at all?
Major issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31%
Minor issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44%
Not an issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10%