Majority of New Yorkers reject late-term abortion

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A majority of New York State residents oppose late-term abortions, according to a press release by the Knights of Columbus.

After the passage of the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) in January left New Yorkers across the political spectrum in a state of disarray, residents are starting to voice their opinions against the recent legislation.

In a recent survey published by the Marist Poll, 75 percent of New Yorkers opposed abortion after 20 weeks. Support for abortion restrictions was strong even though most New Yorkers identify as pro-choice (62 percent to 34 percent pro-life.)

The survey polled 981 adults, all 18 years of age or older and residing in the state of New York. Residents were contacted on landline or mobile numbers and interviewed by telephone using live interviewers. Numbers were randomly selected based upon a list of telephone exchanges from throughout the state.

Carl Anderson, CEO of the Knights of Columbus – the organization that sponsored the survey – said that, “It is clear that these radical policies are being pursued despite opposition by the majority of New Yorkers, and by a majority of those who identify as Democrats, Republicans and independents.”

Sixty-three percent of New Yorkers polled agreed that abortion should be “generally illegal” in the last trimester of pregnancy, while 32 percent believe abortion should be “generally legal.”

Survey participants were also asked to describe their position on abortion based on a wide range of choices. Sixty-six percent of New Yorkers said they would limit abortion to – at most – the first trimester of pregnancy, while 21 percent would allow abortion in the final trimester.

The Marist Poll survey results are in line with the organizations national survey results, which found that 71 percent of Americans agree that abortion should be “generally illegal,” while 25 percent oppose. Similarly, 71 percent of Americans oppose abortion after 20 weeks gestation, also according to the national survey.

The New York State survey and its results can be viewed at https://www.kofc.org/en/.

The Knights of Columbus is the world’s largest Catholic, fraternal service and charitable organization. The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion (MIPO) is a survey research center at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York.