Poll of Mostly Younger Voters Finds Abortion 4th Most Important Political Issue

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Poll of Mostly Younger Voters Finds Abortion 4th Most Important Political Issue

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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
June 6, 2008



Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A poll of mostly younger voters finds abortion is the fourth most important political issue in the upcoming presidential election. Conducted at the end of May, more than 20,000 Virgin Mobile USA customers responded to a survey with several questions about the upcoming presidential election.

Some 54 percent of the respondents in the survey were between the ages of 18 and 25 while another 18 percent were between 26 and 34 -- giving a pretty good indication of the mindset of young Americans.

The two issues that dominate the elections for most voters are most prominent on the minds of the younger voters -- the economy and Iraq.

The poll found 25 percent of the young Americans cited the economy as the number one political issue in the elections while another 20 percent named Iraq. Health care came in third with six percent saying it is most important.

Though some political pundits suggest abortion is at the back of the pack of the list of priorities for most voters, the Virgin Mobile poll found it was fourth most important -- named by five percent of the participants.

Abortion came in as more important in the minds of younger voters than crime, education, energy, immigration, the environment, and race.

The results aren't surprising given other polling data showing young Americans are more pro-life than their older counterparts.

The New York Times, CBS News and MTV teamed up for a June 2007 poll surveying 659 Americans between the ages of 17 and 29 in addition to its poll of older adults.

A total of 62 percent of young Americans say abortion should not be permitted (24 percent) or more strictly limited (38 percent). That's higher than the 58 percent of older adults who give the same answers (split 21 and 37 percent respectively).

The poll also found fewer young Americans saying abortion should be available at any time with 37 percent favoring that compared to 39 percent of older adults.

Meanwhile, an April 2004 Zogby poll found 60 percent of 18-29 year-olds took one of three varying pro-life positions on abortion while only 39 percent agreed with the three pro-abortion stances.

Kristan Hawkins, the director of Students for Life of America, previously told LifeNews.com, "This generation is the pro-life generation."

"Because of the tremendous work of our current pro-life leaders, we will be the generation that finally sees Roe overturned," she said.