Florida voters could narrowly pass an amendment enshrining the right to abortion in the state constitution in November.
A survey by the Florida Chamber of Commerce found that 61 percent of likely Florida voters say they support the abortion amendment, above the 60 percent support needed to pass the measure. However, the results are within the survey’s ±4 percent margin of error. The poll found that 29 percent of respondents oppose the amendment, and 10 percent are undecided.
The Florida Chamber of Commerce poll follows two other polls showing the abortion amendment falling short of the support needed to pass.
A poll released in mid-April by Florida Atlantic University (FAU) found that 49 percent of Florida voters plan to vote yes on the abortion measure, called Amendment 4. Nineteen percent oppose the measure, while 32 percent are unsure how they will vote.
An Emerson College Polling survey also released in April found that 42 percent of Florida voters intend to vote for the amendment, while 25 percent plan to vote no and 32 percent are “unsure.”
The Florida Chamber’s poll also found that fewer than six in ten (58 percent) of respondents plan to vote in support of an amendment that would legalize recreational marijuana — also within the survey’s margin of error. The Florida Chamber of Commerce poll was conducted between April 28 and May 7 by Cherry Communications with 609 likely voters.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and the Republican Party of Florida oppose the abortion measure, with DeSantis warning that it could strip parents’ consent rights for minors seeking abortions. DeSantis also opposes the marijuana amendment.
“Once voters figure out how radical both of those are, they’re going to fail,” he said at a press conference. “They’re very, very extreme.”
“The weed one is not just decriminalize, it’s basically a license to just have anywhere you want. No time, place and manner restrictions.” DeSantis added. “This state will start to smell like marijuana in our cities and towns. It will reduce the quality of life.”
The proposed abortion amendment is backed by Floridians Protecting Freedom — a coalition of left-wing groups that includes Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida — and bars the state from restricting abortion before viability (approximately 24 weeks) or “when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”
The ballot summary states:
No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.
Current Florida law does require minors to have the consent of a parent or guardian to have an abortion.
The abortion activists backing the measure surpassed the number of required signatures in January, and the measure will appear as “Amendment 4” on the general election ballot, according to state officials.
A six-week abortion restriction in went into effect on May 1 in Florida. The heartbeat law went into effect after the Florida Supreme Court upheld the state’s 15-week limit on abortion in April, ultimately clearing the way for the six-week restriction to take effect. DeSantis signed the six-week restriction in April 2023, which contains exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother.
If Florida voters pass the measure with at least 60 percent support in November, the amendment would undo the six-week limit and basically create a permanent right to abortion in the state that could only be undone with another ballot measure or an uphill legal battle.
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.
