One year after Dobbs

It’s been about a year since the Supreme Court ruled on the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade and the federal right to abortion. In the aftermath, the gulf between states with access to abortion and without has widened, as many states moved to either restrict or fortify the right to abortion.

How have Americans felt about the chaos that has ensued? Of course, there’s a wide chasm between how Democrats and Republicans view the issue. But long story short: many are dissatisfied with how state lawmakers have handled abortion and want the fate of abortion in their state in the hands of voters.

Below are five graphs on the state of abortion in the U.S. since Dobbs and where Americans stand on the issue.

1. Abortion bans. For about half of states nationwide, abortion is restricted. When it comes to abortion, the red and blue fault lines across the country bring legal, medical, and permanent consequences for many people. This map ties closely to political maps on Election Day—red states, blues states, and swing states.
2. Harder to access. Over one in three Americans say it’s gotten harder to access an abortion in the last six months. That number rose slightly compared to earlier this year. People are feeling the changes in state laws.
3. Lawmakers rebuked. Since the overturn of Roe with the Dobbs decision, Americans are divided on whether they like how their state lawmakers have handled abortion. What will the political repercussions be? The 2022 midterms may be a preview. We will see.
4. Complicated attitudes. Overall, most Americans support making abortion legal in all or most cases. Partisanship divides opinion in predictable ways, with Democrats supporting abortion rights and Republicans being less likely to. Independents more closely align with Democrats here. Though, most Americans view the issue in shades of gray, with few backing the idea that abortion should be illegal or legal in all cases.
5. Vying for voting. Most Americans want to vote on abortion rights through state ballot measures or referendums, something that is true regardless of partisanship. The hypothetical vote reflects partisan views on the topic. However, regardless of their stance on abortion, Americans want to be part of the political process on the issue.

One year after Dobbs, the legal landscape around abortion looks different. Some Americans report that it is now harder for them to access an abortion than even earlier this year.

With political discontent brewing, how do these changes factor into politics? The 2022 midterm offers some clues. Now, as many want to vote on abortion rights in their state, how will this shift the political map in the coming elections? We will see.