Note: The third bullet in the key findings was revised on Sept. 17, 2024, to rectify a typographical mistake, where former President Trump had been incorrectly identified as President Biden.

Key Takeaways

• Approximately 40% of voters (38%) prioritize the economy and inflation as the dominant issue influencing their vote this fall, amid a range of national concerns, including various health care topics. With the economy being a critical factor in the 2024 election, constituents from both parties express a desire for their candidates to address health care costs. When asked to articulate in their own terms which health care issue they wish to see candidates discuss, around 40% of voters from both sides mention concerns pertaining to health care expenses. Democratic voters and those leaning Democratic express interest in Vice President Harris discussing overall health care costs (20%), prescription medication costs (15%), and insurance costs or efforts to reduce monthly premiums (6%). Approximately one in seven voters cite abortion as the health care issue they are most eager to hear from Harris, while 13% advocate for universal health care—an issue previously prominent in the 2020 Democratic primaries. In a similar vein, nearly half (45%) of Republican voters and those leaning Republican convey a strong interest in hearing former President Trump speak on health care costs, followed by one in eight (12%) wanting to learn more about Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security.
• Abortion remains a key motivator for a select group of voters, especially Democratic women and those leaning Democratic within the reproductive age range (ages 18-49). Around 20% of this demographic identify abortion as their primary voting concern, with half indicating they will only support candidates whose views align with theirs on this issue. This group overwhelmingly desires the preservation of legal abortion, with 90% advocating for federal legislation that reinstates nationwide access akin to the protections formerly established by Roe v. Wade. The percentage of Democratic-leaning women of reproductive age believing that the presidential election will significantly impact abortion access has surged by 31 percentage points over the past six months (90% v. 59%), coinciding with Vice President Harris’s nomination and her emphasis on this topic during her campaign.
• Currently, a majority of voters express greater trust in the Democratic nominee to handle abortion issues compared to former President Trump (53% v. 34%), marking a substantial increase from the relatively narrow edge that President Biden held over Trump earlier this year (38% v. 29%). This shift underscores Harris’s notable standing among Democratic voters concerning this matter.
• A strong majority of voters prefer a federal law that reinstates a nationwide right to abortion similar to those protections established by Roe v. Wade (61%), as opposed to leaving the legality of abortion to state discretion (39%). Furthermore, an overwhelming 87% of Democratic voters and 68% of independent voters favor such a federal law, corresponding with the political stance of the Democratic nominee, Vice President Harris, while 70% of Republican voters prefer state-level control over abortion regulations—a viewpoint championed by former President Trump. Interestingly, a significant portion of Republican women voters of reproductive age also support the federal restoration of abortion rights, with roughly half favoring this proposal.

How Voters Are Prioritizing Health Care Issues in 2024

Voter concerns regarding the economy and inflation continue to overshadow other issues during the current presidential election cycle, with 38% identifying it as their primary concern in the 2024 race. Following economic issues are concerns about threats to democracy (22%), immigration and border security (12%), and individual health care matters including abortion (7%), Medicare and Social Security (7%), and health care expenses, including prescription drugs (5%). Collectively, health care concerns are highlighted by around 19% of voters as the most crucial issue.

While substantial proportions of voters across party lines emphasize the economy and inflation as their main voting issue, the prioritization of other topics proves to be more partisan. For instance, Republican voters are significantly more likely to cite immigration as their most critical voting issue, with nearly a quarter (23%) considering it paramount compared to just 9% of independent voters and 4% of Democrats. Conversely, threats to democracy take precedence as the primary issue for Democratic voters, with 40% stating it is their foremost concern, contrasted with 22% of independent voters and 5% of Republican voters.

Voters Want to Hear Candidates Talk About Lowering Health Care Costs

As voters express how the economy and health care are intertwined, concerns about costs also surface when queried on the health care topics they most desire candidates to discuss. Among Democrats and those leaning Democratic, 42% cite costs as the primary health care issue they wish Vice President Harris to address. This includes mentions of general health care expenses (20%), prescription medication costs (15%), and insurance premiums (6%). About one in seven voters identify abortion as the health care subject they would like Harris to cover, while 13% refer to universal health care—a topic that garnered significant discussion during the 2020 Democratic primaries.

In a similar vein, nearly half (45%) of Republican voters and those leaning Republican express a desire for former President Trump to address health care costs, with the second topic desired being discussions surrounding Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security.

Health Care Issues, Including Abortion, Resonate Highest With Certain Voters

Overall, the individual health care concerns presented are of greater significance to Democratic voters, who are more than twice as likely as their Republican counterparts to classify abortion, Medicare and Social Security, or health care costs as key voting issues (25% v. 11%). Furthermore, one in five independent voters also select health care as their primary voting issue. Notably, women voters are approximately twice as likely as men to prioritize health care issues (25% vs. 12%). Historically, Democratic voters and women have shown a stronger tendency to prioritize health care concerns than other demographics, with the exception being Republican voters focusing on repealing the Affordable Care Act. However, this election cycle marks a shift as abortion takes precedence for around 10% of Democratic voters and a similar proportion of women voters overall, particularly in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that reversed Roe v. Wade.

Overall, the majority of voters (58%) indicate that a candidate’s stance on abortion is just one of numerous factors influencing their vote this year. In contrast, approximately a quarter of voters assert they will only support candidates who align with their views on abortion. About 18% of voters claim that abortion is not a significant consideration in their voting decision.

Democratic voters are more inclined to assert they will only vote for candidates who share their abortion views (31%), though most still classify it as one of many influential factors (61%). This sentiment is similarly reflected among women of reproductive age, with a third acknowledging they will only support a candidate in agreement with their abortion stance.

Abortion Is an Important Voting Issue for Democratic Women of Reproductive Age

Although abortion may not resonate universally as a primary voting concern, it stands out prominently for a critical group: Democratic women voters of reproductive age. Within this cohort, abortion is acknowledged as a leading issue, with 21% citing it as their foremost concern, ranking alongside the economy (23%) and threats to democracy (25%).

A majority of Democratic women of reproductive age express that they will solely support candidates who align with their abortion beliefs (48%), a position they hold more emphatically than any other demographic. A comparable percentage (48%) consider abortion a significant factor in their decisions, while only a small fraction (4%) see it as unimportant. This group largely advocates for abortion rights, evidenced by 93% of Democratic women of reproductive age believing abortion should remain legal in most or all circumstances.

Vice President Harris Has Strong Advantage on Abortion, Former President Trump Leads on Economy and Immigration

Former President Trump exhibits a distinct advantage over Vice President Harris regarding voter trust on two pivotal issues: the economy and inflation (52% vs. 37%) and immigration and border security (54% vs. 36%). In contrast, Vice President Harris maintains a near-equal edge on the abortion issue (53% vs. 34%). A KFF Tracking Poll from earlier this year, when President Biden was still considered the Democratic nominee, indicated that Biden’s edge over Trump on abortion was narrower (38% vs. 29%), showcasing Harris’s increasing strength with the Democratic electorate on this topic.

Neither presidential candidate has garnered majority trust regarding other key voting issues, including Medicare and Social Security or health care expenses. However, Vice President Harris does hold an advantage regarding health care costs. Former President Trump attracts more trust concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict, but many voters express no confidence in either candidate’s ability to manage this issue effectively.

Both presidential candidates are actively seeking to win over independent voters, who currently show a preference for Trump concerning their primary concern—the economy and inflation. About half of independent voters (52%) believe Trump would manage economic issues better, while only 32% express trust in V.P. Harris for this area. Harris holds a marginal advantage on their secondary concern regarding threats to democracy (46% vs. 37%). When examining health care issues, V.P. Harris has a considerable lead over Trump among independent voters, including a decisive 36-point advantage on abortion. Conversely, Trump commands a 20-point lead on immigration and border security.

Most Voters Expect Presidential Election to Have Major Impact on Abortion Policy

An overwhelming 89% of voters believe that this year’s presidential elections will affect abortion access in the U.S., including 61% who assert it will have a “major impact.” Only 11% of voters feel that the election will not influence abortion access at all.

Democratic voters are over twice as likely as their Republican counterparts (84% vs. 40%) to assert that the election will significantly influence abortion access. Among women voters of reproductive age—who are directly impacted by abortion policy—72% believe the presidential election will have a major effect, culminating in 90% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning independent women voters aged 18-49 expressing the same. Conversely, only 43% of Republican and Republican-leaning independent women voters within the same age bracket share this sentiment.

A greater proportion of voters currently believe that this election will have a “major” impact on abortion access than those who felt the same in March when President Biden was still a candidate, potentially indicating discomfort surrounding the issue. Currently, 61% of voters feel this election will exert a “major” impact, up from 51% in March. Notably, the rise in this belief has been pronounced among independent and Democratic voters, with 84% of Democrats now affirming the presidential election’s major influence on abortion access, surging from 71% previously. Similarly, independent voters’ agreement has risen to 58%, a 14-point increase from March. The sentiment among Republican voters, on the other hand, has shown no significant change.

Democratic and Democratic-leaning independent women voters of reproductive age are also increasingly emphasizing this election’s relevance to abortion access. Recent polling indicates that 90% of Democratic women under age 50 now believe this year’s presidential election will majorly affect abortion access in the U.S., a marked increase from the 59% who expressed this in March.

Six In Ten Voters Want Roe Protections Restored

Sixty-one percent (61%) of voters support a federal law that reinstates a nationwide right to abortion akin to protections previously established by Roe v. Wade, whereas 39% would prefer to leave the decision up to individual states. A significant number of both Democratic voters (87%) and independent voters (68%) favor this federal law. Conversely, around 70% of Republican voters advocate for allowing states to dictate abortion laws.

Moreover, nine out of ten Democratic and Democratic-leaning women of reproductive age support reestablishing a federal law regarding a nationwide right to abortion, while Republican women voters of the same age exhibit more varied opinions, with roughly equal proportions favoring a federal law (49%) and state-level decisions (51%).

Additionally, nearly 70% of voters residing in states where abortion remains legal support a nationwide federal law, alongside a majority of voters in states where abortion is restricted (54%).

This is particularly significant as ten states are poised to have voters make decisions on abortion-related measures in the upcoming 2024 election. In those states, 62% of voters indicate a preference for federal legislation reinstating a nationwide right to abortion similar to the former protections under Roe.

As the presidential campaigns progress, a significant majority of voters express the necessity for the 2024 presidential candidates to address abortion (84%), access to birth control (79%), and in vitro fertilization (IVF) (57%) during their campaigns.

A significant majority of Democratic voters affirm that it is “very important” or “somewhat important” for candidates to discuss these issues, with a considerable number of independent voters echoing that sentiment. Although a majority of Republican voters also believe it is essential for presidential candidates to speak about abortion and birth control access, their agreement is not as pronounced, and fewer than half express the same regarding IVF.

Moreover, at least 90% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning women of reproductive age stress the importance of candidates discussing abortion (97%) and access to birth control (95%) on the campaign trail, with three-quarters (76%) considering discussions around IVF equally important.