In a significant shift, a record 32 percent of American voters now say they will only support candidates for major office who align with their views on abortion, according to Gallup’s latest survey.

The findings from Gallup’s annual Values and Beliefs poll, conducted May 1-23, indicate that the rise in voter intensity on this issue is predominantly driven by voters who support abortion rights. Their focus on candidates’ abortion positions is significantly higher than during the 2020 presidential election, while the urgency among pro-life voters has decreased.

The heightened importance of abortion views is mainly attributed to Democratic voters, with little change observed among Republicans and independents.

The data also show that adults who support abortion rights are now much more inclined than they were two decades ago to insist that future Supreme Court nominees share their views on abortion. This shift comes two years after the leaked draft decision in the Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which signaled the court’s intention to abolish constitutional protections for abortion.

Despite the shifts in voter priorities, Gallup reports that American support for abortion rights and the identification as “pro-choice” have remained at historically high levels since the Dobbs decision.

Gallup has been tracking the significance of candidates’ views on abortion among registered voters since 1992, with the current 32 percent representing a four-point increase since last May and an eight-point rise since 2020.

Conversely, the proportion of voters who consider abortion to be one of many important factors has declined to 45 percent, down 11 points from last year and the lowest reading since 2012. Additionally, 19 percent of voters now say abortion is not a major issue for them, marking the third consecutive year this figure has remained under 20 percent, significantly lower than readings from 1992 to 2020.