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Iowa: Abortion

Self-Identification
Right to an Abortion
Morality of Abortion
Restrictions on Abortion
Accessibility of Abortion
Personally Know Women Who Had Abortions
Governmental Role in Abortion Policy
Impact on Vote Choice

Self-Identification

Self-Identification of Abortion Views

Poll	Date	Pro-Life	Pro-Choice	No opinion	Sample	MoE
SurveyUSA¹	April 11-13, 2008	44%	53%	3%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	March 14-16, 2008	47%	50%	3%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	February 15-17, 2008	48%	50%	2%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	January 4-6, 2008	42%	54%	4%	600	± 4.0
SurveyUSA¹	December 13-15, 2007	47%	49%	4%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	November 9-11, 2007	48%	49%	3%	600	± 4.0
SurveyUSA¹	October 12-14, 2007	43%	54%	3%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	September 14-16, 2007	42%	54%	4%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	August 10-12, 2007	45%	52%	3%	600	± 4.0
SurveyUSA¹	July 13-15, 2007	40%	56%	4%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	June 8-10, 2007	44%	52%	4%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	May 11-13, 2007	42%	55%	3%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	April 13-15, 2007	37%	55%	7%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	March 9-11, 2007	41%	55%	4%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	February 9-11, 2007	44%	50%	6%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	January 12-14, 2007	43%	53%	4%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	December 8-10, 2006	44%	50%	6%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	November 8-11, 2006	45%	51%	4%	600	± 4.0
SurveyUSA¹	October 12-15, 2006	41%	55%	4%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	September 14-17, 2006	43%	49%	8%	600	± 4.0
SurveyUSA¹	August 11-13, 2006	42%	51%	7%	600	± 4.1
Rasmussen²	July 27, 2006	40%	54%	6%	500 LV	± 4.5
SurveyUSA¹	July 14-16, 2006	45%	48%	7%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	June 9-11, 2006	41%	53%	6%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	May 12-14, 2006	42%	51%	7%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	April 7-9, 2006	42%	51%	7%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	March 10-12, 2006	40%	55%	5%	600	± 4.0
SurveyUSA¹	February 10-12, 2006	44%	51%	5%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	January 13-15, 2006	44%	50%	6%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	December 9-11, 2005	44%	50%	6%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	November 11-13, 2005	45%	50%	5%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	October 14-16, 2005	44%	51%	5%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	September 16-18, 2005	44%	52%	4%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	August 12-14, 2005	41%	56%	4%	587	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	July 8-10, 2005	38%	56%	6%	600	± 4.1
SurveyUSA¹	June 10-12, 2005	41%	53%	6%	600	± 4.1

1 "On abortion, are you pro-life or pro-choice?"

2 "On the topic of abortion, do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?"

Self-Identification of Abortion Views

Poll	Date	Pro-Life	Pro-Choice	Neither	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Newsweek¹	September 26-27, 2007	40%	41%	17%	2%	1,215 RV	± 3.0

1 "On the issue of abortion, do you consider yourself 'Pro-choice', supportive of abortion rights or 'Pro-life', opposed to legal abortion, or neither?"

Right to an Abortion

Right to An Abortion

Poll	Date	Legal in all cases	Legal in most cases	Illegal in most cases	Illegal in all cases	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Iowa Poll¹	October 31 – November 3, 2006	18%	31%	32%	13%	6%	756 LV	± 3.6
Iowa Poll¹	October 8-11, 2006	15%	35%	28%	15%	7%	800 LV	± 3.5
Iowa Poll¹	September 10-13, 2006	13%	31%	36%	16%	4%	600 LV	± 4.0

1 "Which comes closest to your opinion on abortion: Abortion should be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases, or illegal in all cases." The Iowa Poll is sponsored by The Des Moines Register.

Right to An Abortion

Situation¹	Permitted	Not permitted	No opinion
When the life of the mother is at risk	85%	11%	4%
When the physical health of the mother is at risk	80%	14%	6%
When the pregnancy is the result of incest	74%	20%	6%
When the pregnancy is the result of rape	71%	22%	7%
When the mental health of the mother is at risk	61%	32%	7%
For minors, if the parents give their permission	56%	37%	7%
After the first three months of pregnancy	29%	64%	7%
Poll	Iowa Poll
Date	September 10-13, 2006
Sample	600 LV
MoE	± 4.0

1 "I'm going to mention some situations. For each one, please tell me if abortion should be permitted by law or not." The Iowa Poll is sponsored by the Des Moines Register.

Right to An Abortion

Poll	Date	Legal	Restricted	Illegal	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Humphrey Institute¹	June 21 – July 12, 2004	25%	54%	19%	2%	614 RV	± 4.0

1 "Do you think abortions should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances, or illegal in all circumstances?"

Right to An Abortion

Poll	Date	Legal / right to choose	Illegal / restrictions	No opinion	Sample	MoE
MSNBC / McClatchy³	December 3-6, 2007	27%	68%	5%	400 LV	± 5.0
Iowa Poll²	October 28-30, 1998	48%	40%	12%	800 LV	± 3.5
Iowa Poll²	September 7-10, 1998	46%	42%	12%	800 LV	± 3.5
Iowa Poll¹	March 26-30, 1998	54%	38%	8%	800 LV	± 3.5
Iowa Poll¹	November 29 – December 2, 1997	58%	36%	6%	800 LV	± 3.5

1 "Is your opinion on abortion close to those who seek restrictions on abortion, or closer to those who support a woman's right to choose?" The Iowa Poll is sponsored by the Des Moines Register.

2 "Is your opinion on abortion close to those who believe abortion should be legal or closer to those who believe abortion should not be legal?" The Iowa Poll is sponsored by the Des Moines Register.

3 "Which of the following comes closer to your view on the issue of abortion: Abortion should be prohibited, or at the least restricted to rare circumstances, such as cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother OR abortion should be legal and the decision to have an abortion should be left to the mother without government involvement?" Poll of Republican caucus voters.

Morality of Abortion

Abortion Morally Wrong

Poll	Date	Yes	No	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Rasmussen¹	March 29, 2006	61%	25%	13%	500 LV	± 4.5

1 "Is abortion morally wrong most of the time?"

Restrictions on Abortion

Abortion Ban with Life of Mother Exception

Poll	Date	Favor	Oppose	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Iowa Poll³	September 10-13, 2006	43%	52%	5%	600 LV	± 4.0
KCCI-TV / Research 2000¹	September 11-12, 2006	34%	57%	9%	600 LV	± 4.0
Rasmussen²	March 29, 2006	45%	43%	12%	500 LV	± 4.5

1 "Would you favor or oppose a law in Iowa that would ban all abortions except those necessary to save the life of the mother?"

2 "Do you favor or oppose permitting abortion only in cases where the life of the mother is at risk?"

3 "(Now I'd like to mention some specific issues the candidates for governor have advocated. For each position, please tell me if you favor or oppose the proposal.) ... Ban all abortions except to save the mother's life." The Iowa Poll is sponsored by The Des Moines Register.

Accessibility of Abortion

Poll	Date	Too easy	Too hard	About right	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Rasmussen¹	March 29, 2006	45%	25%	21%	8%	500 LV	± 4.5

1 "Generally speaking, is it too easy for a woman to get an abortion in Iowa or too hard?"

Personally Know Women Who Had Abortions

Personally Know Women Who Had An Abortion

Poll	Date	Yes	No	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Rasmussen¹	March 29, 2006	51%	44%	5%	500 LV	± 4.4

1 "Do you personally know anyone who has had an abortion?"

Governmental Role in Abortion Policy

Poll	Date	State	Federal	No say	No opinion	Sample	MoE
SurveyUSA¹	July 8-10, 2005	10%	14%	72%	4%	600	± 3.7

1 "Who should have the final say on abortion: your state government, the Federal Government, or should the government have no say?"

Impact on Vote Choice

Vote for Republican Who Disagrees With View On Abortion (Republicans)

Poll	Date	Yes	No	No opinion	Sample	MoE
MSNBC / McClatchy¹	December 3-6, 2007	62%	21%	17%	400 LV	± 5.0

1 "If the eventual Republican presidential nominee does not agree with your view on the abortion issue, will you still vote for them over the Democrat in the November general election, or not?" Poll of likely Republican caucus voters.

Importance of Presidential Candidate's Position On Abortion

Poll	Date	Single most	One of several	Less	Not at all	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Newsweek¹	September 26-27, 2007	5%	51%	26%	16%	2%	1,215 LV	± 3.0

1 "How important to you is a presidential candidate's position on abortion in deciding whether to support them in 2008? Is abortion the single most important issue, one of several important issues, a less important issue, or not important at all?"

Impact of Candidate Abortion Views On Vote Choice (Republicans)

Poll	Date	Only vote for candidate who agrees	Can vote for candidate who differs	No opinion	Sample	MoE
LA Times / Rasmussen¹	September 6-10, 2007	33%	62%	5%	350 LV	± 5.0

1 "Some voters have a specific issue that is so important to them that they will only consider voting for candidates who share their view. What about you? When voting in your state's caucus, would you only vote for a candidate who agrees with your position on abortion, or would you vote for a candidate who held a different position than you on abortion, but agreed with you on most other issues?" Poll of likely Republican caucus voters.