SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A new survey from researchers at Louisiana State University reveals residents lean in support of abortion.

Respondents revealed mixed responses when referring to restrictions and exemptions.

The consensus between 53% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans in Louisiana revealed residents are opposed to making it illegal for women in Louisiana to cross state lines to obtain an abortion.

“In cases where the pregnancy is the result of rape or in cases where the mother’s life is at serious risk because of the pregnancy. We see a majority of supporter for those exceptions in those kinds of cases and we see a fair amount of consensus there as well,”

Micheal Henderson, PhD., Director of the Louisiana Survey.

85% said that a woman should be able to obtain a legal abortion if her life is seriously endangered due to pregnancy, and 77% said a woman should be able to obtain a legal abortion if she became pregnant because of rape.

However, opinions divide on other cases: in 2016, 40% of residents said abortions should be legal, however, a majority said it should be illegal, and; this year the results ‘flipped’ 52% of respondents said it should be legal with the minority saying it should be illegal.

Dr. Henderson was not sure why the results were so polarizing. There were no clear exceptions when it came to Medicare, economic hardship, and a decision change.

“While we see a shift in [the] more pro-choice direction it is definitely in a landscape now that seems to be like, ‘Yeah, more access but still a lot of openness in certain restrictions and limitations as well,” said Dr. Henderson.

The annual survey has been conducted for two decades with the mission of capturing residents’ perceptions of the state.

The Louisiana Survey polled 500 residents through telephone-based surveys from across the state to find out how Louisianians view their government and its policies – 26.5% of whom are from North Louisiana.