New Polling Shows Minnesotans Want Decisive and Meaningful Legislative Action on Abortion
January 4, 2023 (St. Paul): As Minnesota’s first pro-reproductive-freedom legislative majority is sworn in, new polling shows that Minnesotans want decisive and meaningful legislative action on abortion.
According to the poll of Minnesota voters, conducted by PerryUndem in December 2022, 89% of Minnesota voters want to know what their state elected officials are doing on the topic of abortion — and voters want legislators to take action. Almost two-thirds of voters want laws that support rights and access to abortion, and 68% support repealing laws that restrict access to abortion.
“This poll underlines and deepens the clear message Minnesotans sent at the ballot box last November,” said Abena Abraham, UnRestrict Minnesota Campaign Director. “They’re fired up and focused on abortion rights and access, and they want decisive action from the lawmakers they elected to strengthen and expand reproductive freedom in our state.”
According to the poll, a majority of Minnesotans also support other policies ensuring that the right to abortion is made real through meaningful efforts to expand abortion access — including Medicaid funding for abortion and legal protections for providers and patients from out of state seeking abortion care in Minnesota.
“Voters are looking for comprehensive legislative action that goes beyond solely enshrining the right to abortion – they also want to ensure access,” Abraham said. “Lawmakers have a clear mandate from their constituents to make sure abortion restrictions are repealed, providers and patients are protected, and coverage is expanded so that anyone seeking reproductive health services in Minnesota can get the care they need when they need it.”
The poll further revealed that 71% of voters believe abortion is a decision that should be left to a woman and her doctor, and 70% want people in all communities to have access to safe, legal, and affordable abortion care. Minnesota voters have a straightforward, unstigmatized view of abortion, according to the poll. Over three-quarters of voters stated that they don’t struggle with their views on abortion and two-thirds responded that there should be less shame and stigma surrounding the issue.
The poll, commissioned by Gender Justice and conducted by the polling firm PerryUndem, surveyed 1,000 Minnesota voters in mid-December 2022. Please see https://unrestrictmn.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/state-of-opinion-on-abortion-among-minnesota-voters.pdf for further information on the polling results and analysis.