Florida voters are more inclined to back former President Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election, yet a significant majority also indicate support for a proposed ballot measure that would establish a right to abortion in the state constitution, a poll revealed.
Simultaneously, 60 percent of likely Florida voters surveyed expressed intent to vote in favor of Amendment 4. This amendment prevents the state from limiting abortion before viability (approximately 24 weeks) or “when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.” If passed with at least 60 percent support in November, the amendment will repeal the current six-week restriction and effectively create a permanent right to abortion in Florida, alterable only by another ballot measure or a challenging legal process.
The CBS News poll regarding Amendment 4 is the second to demonstrate sufficient support for its passage in November. In contrast, two other recent polls indicated the proposed amendment would not meet the threshold.
Gov. Ron DeSantis addresses pro-life supporters before signing Florida’s 15-week abortion ban into law at Nacion de Fe church in Kissimmee. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The poll also found that 53 percent of likely voters in Florida consider abortion a “major factor” in their voting decisions — a figure more than 30 points below the top issues such as the economy (89 percent), inflation (84 percent), and “state of democracy” (74 percent).
Many registered voters in Florida are not well-informed about the proposed abortion amendment. Only 18 percent report having heard “a lot” about it, while 39 percent have heard “some,” 28 percent “not much,” and 15 percent “nothing so far.”
Former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to deliver remarks during a campaign rally at The Ted Hendricks Stadium at Henry Milander Park on November 8, 2023, in Hialeah, Florida. (Alon Skuy/Getty Images)
Despite efforts by the Biden campaign to portray Trump’s role in the end of Roe vs. Wade negatively, 51 percent of registered Florida voters do not attribute blame or credit to him for the termination of the federal right to abortion. Thirteen percent are “enthusiastic” about the end of Roe, 27 percent are satisfied but not enthusiastic, 28 percent are dissatisfied but not angry, and 32 percent are angry.
A majority of voters, 56 percent, believe Florida’s six-week abortion restriction is “too strict.” Twelve percent think it is “not strict enough,” and 32 percent find it “about right.”
The poll was conducted from May 10-16, 2024, including 1,576 Florida adults and 1,209 registered voters. The margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points for all adults and ±3.9 percentage points for registered voters.
