South Middlesex Times

As the issue of abortion reemerges in the national election discourse, 30% of New Jersey residents indicate that they would only vote for a candidate who aligns with their stance on abortion. This is according to the latest poll in the New Jersey Health Matters series by the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, conducted in partnership with the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.

Three-quarters of respondents express concern about potential health issues arising from abortion bans, and a significant majority believe that abortion should be legal in all or most instances. When considering how the topic of abortion might influence their vote in the upcoming year, 28% say they would exclusively vote for a candidate who shares their views on this matter. Meanwhile, 50% consider a candidate's position on abortion as one among many important factors, and 16% do not view it as an essential factor in their voting decision.

Fifty-eight percent are "very concerned" that abortion bans could lead to unnecessary health complications among pregnant patients experiencing difficulties. An additional 20% are "somewhat concerned." Less than one-fifth claim they are "not too concerned" (11%) or "not at all concerned" (6%).

In terms of general attitudes towards abortion, 46% of New Jersey residents believe it should be "legal in all cases," while another 31% say "most cases." Twelve percent think it should be "illegal in most cases," and only 4% advocate for it being "illegal in all cases."

Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling (ECPIP) at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, stated: “New Jerseyans mirror public opinion nationwide when it comes to how abortion will affect their vote, but they are even more concerned than Americans as a whole when it comes to health problems abortion may cause and are more supportive of abortion generally."

When deciding whom to vote for in 2024, abortion appears to be a significant factor for many demographic groups. However, less than four in 10 from any group claim it will be the primary one. Democrats (39%) and 18- to 34-year-olds (35%) are most likely to vote exclusively for a candidate who shares their views on abortion. Women are more likely than men to hold this position (32% to 24%). The likelihood that abortion is the primary factor influencing someone’s vote increases with income and education but decreases with age.

Concern about potential health issues resulting from abortion bans is widespread. A majority of every demographic is "very concerned" about this, except Republicans (at 27%). While over half of Republicans express at least "somewhat" concern, they exhibit the least concern of any group.

A minimum of four in 10 from every demographic group believe abortion should be legal in all cases, and a strong majority within each group think it should be legal in all or most instances. The only exception is Republicans, though more than half of this group believe it should be legal in all (24%) or most (31%) cases.

Linda Schwimmer, president and CEO of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, commented: “Our Health Matters poll shows widespread support for abortion in all or most situations. Access to reproductive health care services are a critical part of overall health and wellbeing.”

The results are based on a statewide poll of 1,512 adults contacted through the probability-based Rutgers-Eagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel via web and live calling from March 26 to April 8. The full sample has a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percentage points.