Poll: Support for state’s abortion law weakens
Less support, more opposition compared to a year ago
Republicans in North Dakota appear to be souring on the state’s 2023 law banning abortion, a new poll indicates. Only 54% of Republicans support the law now compared to 71% who supported it one year ago.
The poll, commissioned by the North Dakota News Cooperative, also shows overall support has slipped. Total support among adults in the state now stands at 38%. A majority are now opposed to the law at 55%.
In NDNC polling done last November, 44% supported the ban and 48% opposed.
The law, passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. Doug Burgum in April 2023, is currently in legal limbo and awaiting a ruling by the North Dakota Supreme Court. South Central Judicial District Court Judge Bruce Romanick struck down the law in September, arguing it infringed on medical freedoms and is unconstitutionally vague.
The ban had made abortion illegal in all cases, with exceptions for cases of rape or incest – but only when a pregnancy is under six weeks – or when a pregnancy posed a significant risk to a mother’s life.
Violations of the law by health professionals include potential penalties of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
On Nov. 21, North Dakota solicitor general Phil Axt called for the state’s Supreme Court to reinstate the law until the final determination is made.
There are currently no clinics providing abortions in North Dakota. Red River Women’s Clinic, previously based in Fargo, moved to Moorhead, Minn., in 2022 after Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
In 2023, state legislators strongly supported the ban, with the Senate voting 42-5 and the House voting 76-14 in favor of the law banning abortion in the state.
The new poll also shows support for an expansion that would provide a number of weeks where abortion would be legal. A total of 52% believe the number of weeks should be expanded while 36% say it should not be.
Overall, only 28% of surveyed adults strongly support the state’s abortion law and 45% strongly oppose it, according to the poll.
The North Dakota Poll surveyed 500 adults between Nov. 17-19, and has a margin of error of +/- 4.4%. The poll surveyed roughly equal numbers of men and women, as well as equally from the eastern and western halves of the state.
The North Dakota News Cooperative is a nonprofit news organization providing reliable and independent reporting on issues and events that impact the lives of North Dakotans. The organization increases the public’s access to quality journalism and advances news literacy across the state. For more information about NDNC or to make a charitable contribution, please visit newscoopnd.org. Send comments, suggestions or tips to michael@newscoopnd.org. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NDNewsCoop.
