The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has put the issue of abortion back on the ballot in all 50 states, leading to stark differences in voting outcomes across the nation. From Mississippi’s near-total ban to Oregon’s lack of restrictions, citizens are expressing their opinions through the voting process. Recently, Arizona approved a major ballot initiative that seeks to establish a Constitutional right to an abortion in the state up to 24 weeks, which is nine weeks further along than the current 15-week limit permitted under Arizona law.
This development in Arizona has sparked interest in understanding where Americans stand on the issue of abortion limits, particularly those after the first trimester. In a Gallup poll from 2022, it was found that support for abortion rights dropped dramatically to only 34% after the 14th week of pregnancy, and even further by the 24th week. Furthermore, Americans are more likely to believe that abortion should be illegal than legal after 24 weeks, as per Gallup’s report.
Regarding abortion extremists, there is a higher percentage of pro-choice advocates (19%) than pro-life supporters (8. European countries have also reached similar conclusions about abortion limits, with Italy and Spain allowing abortions up to 12 weeks, while France and Germany permit them until the 15th week.
The recent Arizona initiative, which calls for a Constitutional right to an abortion up to 24 weeks, surpasses not only European standards but also the current Gallup polling on abortion limits in America. The headline “How Arizona’s Abortion Ballot Measure Could Affect the Presidential Race” suggests that this initiative may be more about preventing a potential second Trump term rather than genuinely protecting women’s rights to abortion access.
In order to counteract the extremism of the 24-week initiative, abortion moderates and Republicans must focus on revealing the truth about Arizona’s current state law (a 15-week limit with exceptions) and clarify President Trump’s position on the issue (that states should decide for themselves. By doing so, they can emphasize that the majority of Americans currently support a similar stance to Arizona’s existing law.