South Dakotans Oppose Abortion Ban

South Dakotans believe that banning abortion with no exceptions for rape and incest goes too far. A recent poll paid for by Focus: South Dakota, a local group that plans on putting the issue on the November ballot, and conducted by Robinson and Muenster Associates, interviewed 630 voters by phone from across the state last week. The party affiliation of the participants is similar to the state's political makeup:

Of those polled, 71% to 17% would like to see the bill referred to the ballot in November.

When asked how they would vote on it, 35% said they would keep the ban in place, while 57% would vote to overturn it because it does not include exceptions for rape and incest, while 9% were undecided.

The results are consistent when asked specifically about their position on abortion. 62% said the bill conflicts with what they believe, but 32.9% agree with it.

And this might explain why:

25% believe abortion should be legal in cases of rape, incest and when the mother's life is in danger.

21% believe it should be legal and the decision should be left entirely up to the woman involved.

20% believe abortion should be legal only in cases where the mother's life is in danger.

15% believe it should be legal and the decision should be up to the woman unless she's younger than 16.

And 12% believe abortion should not bel legal under any circumstance.

The poll has a plus or minus margin of error of 3.9 percent.

The extremists who are in favor of forcing a girl who is raped by a male relative to have his baby are clearly in the minority.