More voters than ever say abortion will be important factor in elections: Gallup

More registered voters now say candidates must align with their views on abortion to win their vote than at any time during Gallup’s polling on the issue, according to a new survey.

Twenty-seven percent of registered voters in the Gallup poll released on Monday agree that candidates must share their views on abortion to receive their vote, the highest percentage recorded by the survey giant, which first asked voters about abortion issues in 1992.

Sixteen percent, meanwhile, now say abortion is not a major issue, while 54 percent say it will be one of a number of major issues in the upcoming election.

The poll, conducted between May 2 and May 22, comes after a leaked draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court showed the court’s conservative majority was preparing to overturn the landmark 1973 precedent Roe v. Wade, which established abortion access as a constitutional right.

The leak ignited a firestorm across the country, worrying abortion rights activists while eliciting enthusiasm from anti-abortion activists.

Republicans are expected to make significant gains in the upcoming midterm elections this year over Americans’ concerns about the economy and inflation. But the leaked opinion shows abortion will likely be a major issue in the November general elections as voters seek to support candidates who align with their view.

According to Gallup, Democrats are currently more energized than Republicans on the issue. About 37 percent of Democratic respondents and 38 percent of liberal ones say they will only vote for a candidate who supports their abortion views, compared to 24 percent of Republicans and conservatives polled who say the same.

Of all registered voters, 17 percent identify as “pro-choice” and 10 percent identify as “pro-life,” according to the survey.

The poll of 1,007 U.S. adults has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.