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Forty-three percent of Americans rate abortion as an "extremely important" issue to them, or a "10" on a 1-to-10 scale, a national NBC News poll finds, with the intensity on the issue disproportionately coming from Democrats and women.
An additional six percent rate the issue as a "9" on a ten-point scale and 12% rate the issue as an eight on the same scale.
Just eight percent of Americans rated the issue a "1" — not at all important — with one percent rating it a "2" and four percent rating it a "3," also not important.
"So the people who were saying that they are the most interested in abortion — and this is a major story — has shifted to the people who want to see abortion always legal,” said GOP pollster Bill McInturff of Public Opinion Strategies, who conducted the poll along with Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt of Hart Research.
Fifty-eight percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal all or most of the time and among that group, 65% rated the issue as a "10."
Among those who prefer abortion to be illegal — 38% of Americans — just 34% rated the issue as a "10."
The poll also found that support for legal abortion is highest among young people, Black Americans and those with no religious affiliation.
Among 18 to 34 year-olds, 68% said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 58% of those aged 35 to 49 said the same. Fifty one percent of those aged 50 — 64 said abortion should be legal and 57% of people over 65 said the same.
Sixty-eight percent of Black Americans surveyed supported legal abortion and 85% of people with no religious affiliation supported legal abortion. That’s compared to just 46% of voters who identify as Christian who believe abortion should be legal.
The poll also asked respondents about abortion ban exceptions. Almost universally, Americans agree that abortions should be allowed in the case of rape, incest and to save the life of the mother.
Among respondents who believe abortion should be legal most of the time or illegal with some exceptions, 95% supported exceptions to protect the life of the mother, 92% supported exceptions in the case of rape and 91% supported exceptions in the case of incest.
The NBC News poll was conducted April 14-18 of 1,000 adults — including 861 reached by cell phone — and it has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.1 percentage points.