# Where abortion views remain close

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/health/where-abortion-views-remain-close/
Published: 2026-05-11

> Featured topic in Health.

About 34% say abortion should be illegal in most cases, while 31% say it should be legal in most cases. Supreme Court justices are the most named responsible actor.

## Overview: Abortion views

Abortion views remain close and complicated: legal-status preferences, rights views, state-law knowledge, and responsibility all point away from one simple camp.

About 34% say abortion should be illegal in most cases, while 31% say it should be legal in most cases. When adults name who is most responsible for the end of the constitutional right to abortion access, Supreme Court justices lead at 47%.

## Personal abortion views are narrowly split

Personal abortion views do not settle into one dominant answer. About 34% say abortion should be illegal in most cases.

Close behind, 31% say abortion should be legal in most cases, 24% say legal in all cases, and 11% say illegal in all cases.

## Rights and policy views are also spread out

On abortion-rights views, 37% say some, 29% say a lot, 21% say very little, and 13% say none.

Policy views show the same lack of one clean majority. The two largest shares are separated by less than one point in the abortion-rights policy question.

## Knowledge and blame add another layer

Knowledge of state abortion law is unsettled. About 23% are not sure what the laws in their state are, while 22% say abortion is fully banned with few exceptions.

Responsibility views are more concentrated. Supreme Court justices are the leading named actor, at 47% in one question and 45% in a select-all version.

## Supporting evidence

### 34% say abortion should be illegal in most cases, while 31% say legal in most cases.

Question: When you think about abortion, which of the following is closest to your personal opinion?

Note: Shows the close split in personal abortion views.

Topline:

- Abortion should be illegal in most cases: 33.8%
- Abortion should be legal in most cases: 31.4%
- Abortion should be legal in all cases: 24.3%
- Abortion should be illegal in all cases: 10.5%

### 37% say some abortion rights, while 29% say a lot.

Question: Wade in 2022?

Note: Adds the spread across abortion-rights views and policy preferences.

Topline:

- Some: 37.4%
- A lot: 29.0%
- Very Little: 21.2%
- None: 12.5%

### Supreme Court justices are the most named actor for abortion-policy changes.

Question: Which do you believe is the MOST responsible?

Note: Adds who adults name as responsible for abortion-policy changes.

Topline:

- The Justices on the Supreme Court: 46.7%
- Congressional Republicans: 17.0%
- Donald Trump: 16.3%
- Joe Biden: 10.2%
- Congressional Democrats: 5.9%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: United States adults
- Field dates: 2024-01-18 → 2024-01-24
- Base (unweighted): 1,000
- Margin of error: +/- 3.5%
- Module: Verasight Interdisciplinary Omnibus Survey #2024-006
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Sources

- [When you think about abortion, which of the following is closest to your personal opinion?](https://www.verasight.io/post/verasights-supports-academic-and-nonprofit-researchers): www.verasight.io/post/verasights-supports-academic-and-nonprofit-researchers: Shows the close split in personal abortion views.
- [Wade in 2022?](https://www.verasight.io/post/verasights-supports-academic-and-nonprofit-researchers): www.verasight.io/post/verasights-supports-academic-and-nonprofit-researchers: Adds the spread across abortion-rights views and policy preferences.
- [To the best of your knowledge, what is the legal status of abortion in your state as of today?](https://www.verasight.io/post/verasights-supports-academic-and-nonprofit-researchers): www.verasight.io/post/verasights-supports-academic-and-nonprofit-researchers: Shows uncertainty and variation in state-law knowledge.
- [Which do you believe is the MOST responsible?](https://www.verasight.io/post/verasights-supports-academic-and-nonprofit-researchers): www.verasight.io/post/verasights-supports-academic-and-nonprofit-researchers: Adds who adults name as responsible for abortion-policy changes.

## Citation

Verasight Interdisciplinary Omnibus Survey #2024-006, fielded January 18-24, 2024, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.5%.

Canonical question URL: [https://www.verasight.io/post/verasights-supports-academic-and-nonprofit-researchers](https://www.verasight.io/post/verasights-supports-academic-and-nonprofit-researchers)