Poll finds Florida abortion initiative 3 points short of required threshold to pass

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – According to a new USA Today/Ipsos poll, 57% of Floridians favor a state ballot initiative aiming to constitutionally protect access to abortion up to the point of fetal viability.

That total is 3% shy of the required 60% needed to pass. The poll has a margin of error of 4.1%, and was conducted April 5-7 among 1,014 Florida adults.

The measure had gained 34% among Republicans, 63% among Independents and 78% among Democrats.

The poll question specifically referenced allowing abortion up to 24 weeks. The ballot initiative does not make clear a week designation.

It found that 6% of Republicans, 9% of Independents and 4% of Democrats were unsure.

While the 57% is not enough, a total of 6% said “unsure,” more than enough to propel the measure to 60%, depending which way voters break.

However, only around half of the respondents said they were familiar with the ballot initiative.

The poll also found that 55% of Floridians oppose a “national” six week abortion ban, with 23% in support.

It also asked Floridians about the initiative to legalize recreational marijuana use, which garnered 54% support – 6% shy of its required threshold to pass.

The latest poll comes after another poll recently found that the abortion initiative only garnered 42% support, though a large amount were undecided.

Other states have voted and approved pro-abortion amendments, including Ohio and Michigan. However, even there, both amendments passed with around 56% of the vote – multiple points less than Florida’s necessary threshold of 60%.

Gov. Ron DeSantis recently predicted that voters will reject both the abortion and marijuana ballot initiatives, saying they will be perceived as too “extreme.”