California Parental Notification on Abortion Measure Gets Boost in Second Poll

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Sep 26, 2008   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

California Parental Notification on Abortion Measure Gets Boost in Second Poll

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 26
, 2008

Sacramento, CA (LifeNews.com) — The second poll in as many days shows a plurality of California voters support Proposition 4, a ballot measure that would allow parents to know when their minor daughters are considering an abortion. The measure draws the support of 49 percent of California residents thanks in part to Latino voters.

A new Field Poll of 830 likely voters finds the measure leading 49-41 percent with another 10 percent of voters undecided.

Among Hispanic voters, who now account for 17 percent of all voters in the state, support for the parental notification measure jumps to 62-31 percent. That could help push the poll over the top after it lost twice in 2005 and 2006.

"Latino voters are more supportive of the measure than in the past elections," Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll, said about the new survey. "The timing of the vote also helps, since Latinos make up a larger proportion of the voters in a presidential election."

DiCamillo also noted that many of the undecided voters opposed the notification measure after last-minute ad campaigns by abortion advocates and that they are expected to do the same thing this time around.

The Field Poll also showed that Republicans favor the measure by a 69 percent margin while 50 percent of Democrats are opposed to it. While 80 percent of conservatives back the measure, 66 percent of liberals oppose it.

Yesterday, LifeNews.com reported on a new poll from the Public Policy Institute of California that found almost half of likely voters indicate they will support it on the November ballot.

That survey had the support at a similar 48-41 percent level after an August survey found the split at a 47-44 percent lead for the measure.

A San Diego Union Tribune editorial on Tuesday slammed critics of the parental notification measure.

Questioning the oppositions’ "adamant objection to requiring parental notification or family notification in the few cases of parental abuse," the editorial asks, "Under what other circumstance would these critics contend that the suspected abuse of a child by her parents should not be reported to authorities?"

Opponents of Proposition 4 "misread the public" states the Union Tribune, noting that most Americans want abortion to be "safe, legal and rare."

The newspaper points out that the 34 states with parental involvement laws have found that these laws reduce teen pregnancies and abortion.

Related web sites:
Yes on 4 – https://www.Yeson4.net
Friends of Sarah – https://www.friendsofsarah.com

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