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ALL YEARS EXCEPT 2000 TELEPHONE: There has been some discussion about abortion during recent years. (RESPONDENT BOOKLET) Which one of the opinions on this page best agrees with your view? You can just tell me the number of the opinion you choose. 2000 TELEPHONE: I am going to read you a short list of opinions. Please tell me which one of the opinions best agrees with your view. You can just tell me the number of the opinion you choose.
When abortion should be allowed by law · Asked in 17 waves, 1980–2024 · 46,547 responses · weighted estimates computed from individual responses
Codes that include 'no Pre/Post IW' were dropped for respondents without that interview. Dropped only in years where the codebook names a design split (alternate form, half sample, abbreviated or web instrument): 0 in 2008. Kept and flagged: 0 (no_answer), 9 (dk). Codebook notes: GENERAL NOTE: See also VCF0837. 1980 NOTE: Asked pre-election. Alternate version (ssee VCF0837) asked post-election. 2008 NOTE: This question was administered to a random half sample of respondents using verion ‘OLD’; the remaining respondents (version ‘NEW’) were administered a branching series of questions on abortion. 2016 NOTE: For Web cases, the Other option was not available.
Dashed lines mark changes in how interviews were done, which can shift answers: 1. → mixed mode (2012).
Shares of people who gave an answer. Each column is one wave, evenly spaced rather than to scale in time; hover for exact shares.
| Poll | Field dates | Mode | Respondents | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANES 2024 Time Series Study Source variable: V241302. | 2024-08-03 to 2025-02-17 | mixed | 5,521 | 5,473 |
| ANES 2020 Time Series Study Source variable: V201336. | 2020-08-18 to 2021-01-04 | mixed | 8,280 | 8,268 |
| ANES 2016 Time Series Study Source variable: V161232. | 2016-09-07 to 2017-01-09 | mixed | 4,270 | 4,258 |
| ANES 2012 Time Series Study Source variable: abortpre_4point. | 2012-09-09 to 2013-01-13 | mixed | 5,914 | 5,908 |
| ANES 2008 Time Series Study Source variable: V085086. | 2008-09-02 to 2008-12-30 | face to face | 2,322 | 1,039 |
| ANES 2004 Time Series Study Source variable: V045132. | 2004-09-07 to 2004-12-19 | face to face | 1,212 | 1,066 |
| ANES 2000 Time Series Study Source variable: V000694. | 2000-09-05 to 2000-12-22 | mixed | 1,807 | 1,803 |
| ANES 1998 Time Series Study |
Dashed lines mark changes in how interviews were done, which can shift answers: 1. → mixed mode (2012).
Shares of people who gave an answer. A group’s column is left blank in waves where its effective sample is under 50; hover for exact shares.
| Group | By law, abortion should never be permitted. | The law should permit abortion only in case of rape, incest, or when the woman’s life is in danger. | The law should permit abortion for reasons other than rape, incest, or danger to the woman’s life, but only after the need for the abortion has been clearly established. | By law, a woman should always be able to obtain an abortion as a matter of personal choice. | n | MoE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All respondents | 6% | 24% | 21% | 49% | 5473 | ±2 | |
| Less than high school | 10% | 29% | 23% | 39% | 270 | ±8 | |
| High school | 7% | 31% | 19% | 42% | 1298 | ±4 | |
| Some college | 7% | 24% | 23% | 46% | 1252 | ±4 | |
| Bachelor's | 4% | 17% | 21% | 58% | 1327 | ±4 | |
| Postgraduate | 3% | 17% | 18% | 61% | 1048 | ±4 |
ANES 2024 Time Series Study · US citizens 18+ (face-to-face samples: contiguous 48 states and DC; web samples: 50 states and DC). Shares of people who gave an answer. n is unweighted; ± is the 95% margin of error at 50% from the weighted effective sample. Groups with an effective sample under 50 are grayed; under 20, hidden.
| 1998-11-04 to 1998-12-23 |
| mixed |
| 1,281 |
| 1,281 |
| ANES 1996 Time Series Study Source variable: V960503. | 1996-09-03 to 1997-01-02 | mixed | 1,714 | 1,714 |
| ANES 1994 Time Series Study Source variable: V941014. | 1994-11-09 to 1995-01-08 | mixed | 1,795 | 1,795 |
| ANES 1992 Time Series Study Source variable: V923732. | 1992-09-02 to 1993-01-16 | mixed | 2,485 | 2,478 |
| ANES 1990 Time Series Study Source variable: V900479. | 1990-11-06 to 1991-01-21 | face to face | 1,980 | 1,980 |
| ANES 1988 Time Series Study Source variable: V880395. | 1988-09-06 to 1989-01-23 | face to face | 2,040 | 2,031 |
| ANES 1986 Time Series Study Source variable: V860488. | 1986-11-05 to 1987-02-07 | face to face | 2,176 | 2,176 |
| ANES 1984 Time Series Study Source variable: V840423. | 1984-09-04 to 1985-01-24 | mixed | 2,257 | 2,249 |
| ANES 1982 Time Series Study Source variable: V820463. | 1982-11-02 to 1983-01-31 | face to face | 1,418 | 1,418 |
| ANES 1980 Time Series Study Source variable: V800311. | 1980-09-02 to 1981-02-07 | face to face | 1,614 | 1,610 |