More Americans in a new poll say they wouldn’t vote for a candidate who doesn’t share their views on abortion, a critical issue rising among women as conservative legislatures pass strict abortion restrictions.

Three in 10 Americans surveyed said that they would only vote for a candidate running for a major office if they shared the same views on abortion, according to the CNN poll released Thursday.

That percentage is higher than any time CNN has polled on this topic since 1996, the network noted.

ADVERTISEMENT

Gender was the biggest contributing factor in the poll, not political party, it added.

Thirty-three percent of all women — including 42 percent of independent women and 39 percent of nonwhite women — consider abortion a critical issue.

Only 26 percent of men said the same in the poll.

That compares to the 33 percent of independents, 29 percent of Democrats and 28 percent of Republicans who said that abortion views are a decisive factor for potential candidates.

Twenty percent overall say they don't see abortion as a major issue. Forty-five percent said they would consider a candidate’s stance on abortion, but would not base their votes on it, according to the CNN poll.

The poll was released after Democratic front-runner former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Democratic groups using Bloomberg money to launch M in Spanish language ads in Florida Harris faces pivotal moment with Supreme Court battle MORE's campaign confirmed Wednesday that he still supports a controversial ban prohibiting the use of federal funds for certain abortion services.

He is the only Democrat running for president in 2020 who supports the Hyde Amendment.

Contenders vying for the party's nomination distanced themselves from Biden’s stance.

Other front-runners, including Sens. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersOutrage erupts over Breonna Taylor grand jury ruling Dimon: Wealth tax 'almost impossible to do' Grand jury charges no officers in Breonna Taylor death MORE (I-Vt.), Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisHarris faces pivotal moment with Supreme Court battle Nearly 40 Democratic senators call for climate change questions in debates Joe Biden has long forgotten North Carolina: Today's visit is too late MORE (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenDimon: Wealth tax 'almost impossible to do' CNN's Don Lemon: 'Blow up the entire system' remark taken out of context Democrats shoot down talk of expanding Supreme Court MORE (D-Mass.), Cory Booker Cory Anthony BookerBipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death DHS opens probe into allegations at Georgia ICE facility Democratic lawmakers call for an investigation into allegations of medical neglect at Georgia ICE facility MORE (D-N.J.) and Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten GillibrandSunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Suburban moms are going to decide the 2020 election Jon Stewart urges Congress to help veterans exposed to burn pits MORE (D-N.Y.), have all said they support repealing it. The Democratic National Committee also included repealing the Hyde Amendment in its 2016 platform.

The poll also comes after a series of GOP-majority legislatures in Georgia, Alabama, Missouri and other sates enacted laws sharply restricting abortion access.

The laws were designed to challenge the Supreme Court’s landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion nationwide.

The CNN Poll was conducted by SSRS May 28-31 among a random national sample of 1,006 adults. It has a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.