———— 1989 ————
= Time/CNN
Conducted October 9-10, 1989
“Do you think marriages between homosexual
couples should be recognized by the law?”
69% disapprove
23% approve
8% unsure
“Do you think homosexual couples should be
legally allowed to inherit each other“s property?”
65% approve
27% disapprove
8% unsure
“Do you think homosexual couples should be
permitted to receive medical- and life-insurance
benefits from a partner“s policies?”
54% approve
37% disapprove
9% unsure
“Do you think homosexual couples should be
permitted to adopt children?”
75% disapprove
17% approve
8% unsure
1,000 adult Americans
from a telephone poll conducted by
Yankelovich Clancy Schulman
sampling error +/- 3%
= Time Magazine
“Should Gays Have Marriage Rights?”
by Walter Isaacson, November 20, 1989, pp 101-102
Legal marriage:
69% disapprove
23% approve
8% unsure
———— 1991 ————
= Honolulu Star-Bulletin/KGNB-Ch.9
Conducted April 3-7, 1991
Released April 24, 1991
Conducted by Political Media Research
425 Hawaii voters
Legal marriage:
49% against
34% for
17% not sure
———— 1992 ————
= Newsweek
Survey report
Legal marriage:
58% disapprove
35% approve
7% unsure
———— 1993 ————
= Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Conducted June 4-7, 1993
Released June 19, 1993
Conducted by Political Media Research
419 Hawaii voters
Legal marriage:
61% against
30% for
9% not sure
= Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Conducted October 21-23, 1993
Released November 11, 1993
Conducted by Political Media Research,
423 Hawaii voters
Legal marriage:
58% against
31% for
11% not sure
———— 1994 ————
= Honolulu Advertiser/KHON-Ch.2
Conducted February 12-17, 1994
Released February 28, 1994
Conducted by SMS Research/Marketing Services, Inc.
605 Hawaii residents
Legal marriage:
67% against
25% for
8% not sure
= Time Magazine
Released June 27, 1994
Conducted by Yankelovich Partners Inc.
800 adults by telephone
Legal marriage:
64% against
31% for
= Honolulu Advertiser/KHON-Ch.2
Conducted July 19-29, 1994,
Released August 4, 1994
Conducted by SMS Research/Marketing Services, Inc.
800 Hawaii residents
Legal marriage:
68% against
24% for
8% not sure/refused
———— 1995 ————
= EPIC-MRA-Mitchell Research Poll, Lansing, Mich.
Conducted June 21-26, 1995
Released July 1995
1,000 voters
Legal marriage:
63% against
33% for
———— 1996 ————
= Pew Research Center for the People and the Press
Released in the summer 1996
Legal marriage:
Breakdown:
White evangelical Protestants:
13% pro legal marriage
Black Christians:
25% pro
White non-evangelical Protestants:
27% pro
White Roman Catholic:
31% pro
= California Field Poll
Conducted June 10-16, 1996
Released June 28, 1996
1,024 adults
Legal Marriage:
57% con
35% pro
Breakdown:
Democrats:
45% con
44% pro
Republicans:
72% con
22% pro
Bay Area:
48% con
44% pro
= Associated Press
Conducted June 14-18, 1996
Released July 1, 1996
Conducted by ICR Survey Research Group, Media, Penn.
1,019 adults
Legal Marriage:
57% con
30% pro
Breakdown:
Men:
66% con
Women:
49% con
Younger than 45:
less than 50% pro
less than 50% con
Younger than 35:
47% con
44% pro
= Harris Poll
Conducted July 15-21, 1996
Released July 18, 1996
1,004 adults by telephone
Legal marriage for female couples:
63% con
25% no strong feelings
11% pro
Legal marriage for male couples:
64% con
24% no strong feelings
10% pro
———— 1996 ————
= Honolulu Advertiser
Conducted by SMS Research/Marketing Services, Inc.
Released August 8, 1996
501 Hawaii residents by telephone
Legal marriage:
72% against
19% pro (it was 20% in February 1996)
9% not sure
= WDAF-TV
WDAF-TV, 3030 Summit St., Kansas City, MO 64108
Released November 1996
Telephone survey
Legal marriage:
58% should be legally recognized
———— 1997 ————
= Field Institute Poll
Conducted February 11-17, 1997
1,045 adult Californians by telephone
Margin of error of 4.5%
Legal Marriage
56% disapprove of same-sex marriages
38% approve
Breakdown:
Protestants:
65% oppose same-sex marriage
Catholics:
61% oppose
Voters with no religious affiliation:
66% approve of same-sex marriages
Legal recognition of same-sex marriages form other states:
49% oppose
43% in favor of recognition
Breakdown:
Democrats:
52% approve
41% disapprove
Republicans:
62% oppose
31% approve
Allow cohabiting couples such rights as hospital visitation,
medical power of attorney and conservatorship:
67% support
Support allowing domestic partners to receive such benefits as
pensions, health coverage, family leave and death benefits:
59% support
Breakdown:
Democrats:
72% support
Republicans:
64% support
Among religious groups, Protestants and Catholics expressed
considerably more negative views of such measures than members
of other religions or people with no religious preference.
= Human Rights Campaign
Conducted mid-February 1997
Conducted by Lake Research, Inc.
443 likely New Hampshire Republican voters
49% say legal same-sex marriage makes no difference
32% are somewhat or much less supportive
of a candidate who signed a pledge opposing “gay marriage”
18% are much more supportive of a candidate
who signed a pledge opposing “gay marriage”
62% strongly disapprove or feel it is wrong to
use gays to score political points
20% were glad the politicians were raising the
anti-marriage issue
———— 1998 ————
= Anchorage Daily News
“Polls split on gay marriages” by Liz Ruskin,
April 16, 1998
Poll by Dittman Research (Anchorage)
558 randomly selected Alaska adults in March 1998
65% against legal same-sex marriage
66% said they’d vote for a ballot measure to
constitutionally define marriage only between men and women.
Poll by Craciun and Associates
407 Anchorage voters
51% would NOT vote for constitutionally
restrictive amendment
38% would support it.
= Detroit free Press
“Most Michigan Residents Oppose Same-Sex Marriages”
by Lekan Oguntoyinbo, April 16, 1998
Conducted by EPIC/MRA (Lansing)
66% - same-sex marriage shouldn’t be legalized
59% - Michigan shouldn’t recognize a same-sex
marriage that takes place in another state
(Michigan lawmakers banned same-sex marriage in 1996)
59% oppose state recognition of same-sex
partnerships to receive health care and other benefits
= Rutland Herald and Barre-Montpelier Times Argus
Released August 1998
58% said same-sex marriages should not
be recognized in Vermont
30% said they should
= Honolulu Star-Bulletin
“Same-Sex Marriage Losing Big” by Mike Yuen,
Released August 14, 1998
417-421 registered voters
1993, June
61% against
30% for
8% unsure
1994, February
58% against
32% for
10% unsure
1996, March
74% against
21% for
6% unsure
1997, February
70% against
20% for
10% unsure
1998, August
63% against legal marriage
24% for legal marriage
13% unsure
= Honolulu Advertiser
“Same-Sex Foes Waver at Ballot Box” by William Kresnak
Released September 18, 1998
Conducted by Advertiser/Channel 2 News
Hawaii voters
Marriage
72% oppose same-sex marriage
18% for same-sex marriage
10 unsure/no answer
Constitutional change banning marriage
52% support the state constitution changed giving the
Legislature the power to reserve marriage for opposite-sex couples
40% oppose the constitutional change
8% unsure
= San Francisco Chronicle
“Petitions Seek Vote on Banning Gay Marriages”
by Elaine Herscher, Sept.22, 1998
Conducted March 1997
Poll of Californians
66% favor domestic partner benefits for
lesbians and gay men
56% objected to any law allowing lesbian
or gay partners to wed
= AP report
“Poll Shows Support for Gay Marriage Ban,
Medical Marijuana” by Paul Queary
Conducted by Dittman Research (Anchorage)
Released September 28, 1998
544 likely voters in Alaskan in October 1998
61% would vote for constitutional amendment
banning same-sex marriage
34 against such an amendment
= Honolulu Advertiser
“Poll Says Same-Sex Opponents Gaining”
by Jean Christensen
October 26, 1998
Conducted by Ward Research in September 1998
Telephone poll
52% wanted to change the constitution
to allow a ban on “gay” marriage
40% opposed the constitutional change
8% unsure
Conducted by Ward Research in October 1998
480 likely Hawaii voters in telephone poll
56% wanted to change the constitution
to allow a ban on “gay” marriage
32% oppose the constitutional change
12% unsure
———— 1999 ————
= Vermont Public Radio
Conducted by Macro International,
Reported in the Boston Globe, January 28, 1999
403 Vermont citizens interviewed
48% opposed to same-sex marriage
43% in favor of same-sex marriage
7% no opinion
= Field Institute Poll
Conducted March 3-14, 1999
Released March 31, 1999
Reported in the San Francisco Chronicle, April 1, 1999
718 registered voters in California by telephone
Do you favor an initiative on the California March 2000 ballot
prohibiting the state from recognizing same-sex marriages?
55% favored
39% against
6% no opinion
Breakdown:
Protestant:
66% favored the initiative
Catholic:
60% approved
No religious affiliation:
63% OPPOSED the initiative
30% favored the initiative
Only 20% of voters interviewed said they had
seen or heard anything about the initiative.
= Vermont Public Radio
“Vermont Considers Gay Marriage” by David Snyder
Reported in the Christian Broadcasting Network, April 5, 1999
53% opposed to same-sex marriage
= Research 2000, Bethesda, Maryland
Conducted for “three media organizations,”
May 27-May 29, 1999
Reported in the Washington Blade, June 11, 1999
810 California voters by telephone
54% backed a law prohibiting state recognition of same-sex marriages
38% opposed
8% undecided
An anti-gay, anti-marriage ban initiative (Prop 22) went
before California voters March 2000 and failed.
= Decision Research (San Diego & D.C.)
Conducted for the Horizons Foundation, San Francisco
Horizons is helping finance opposition to Prop 22
Conducted April 17-22, 1999
Reported in the San Francisco Chronicle, June 23, 1999
1,200 likely voters
“The ‘Definition of Marriage’ Act says that only marriage
between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.
Would you vote for it?”:
55% yes
39% no
1% lean yes
1% lean no
4% still undecided
Other findings:
“Should civil rights be denied based on sexual orientation?”
63% strongly oppose discrimination
18% somewhat oppose discrimination
“Is there discrimination against lesbians and gay men?”
51% agreed
41% disagreed
“Gay and lesbian couples who are loving andcaring can be as good
at parenting as other parents.”
34% strongly agree
24% somewhat agree
5% don’t know
12% somewhat disagree
26% strongly disagree
4% said they were gay, lesbian or bisexual
4% declined to state their sexual orientation
An anti-gay, marriage ban initiative (Prop 22) went
before California voters in March 2000 and failed.
= Rutland Herald, Barre-Montpelier Times Argus, WCAX-TV poll
Conducted October 29-31, 1999
Released November 4, 1999
621 registered voters by telephone
47% disapproved of same-sex legal
marriage in Vermont
40% approved
———— 2000 ————
= Rutland Herald, Times Argus and WCAX TV poll
Conducted January 18-21, 2000
Released January 25, 2000
Conducted by Research 2000 of Rockville, Maryland
623 registered Vermont voters by telephone
“The Vermont Supreme Court ruled in December that
same-sex couples were entitled to the same legal
benefits and protections now extended to married
couples. Do you agree or disagree with the
court’s ruling?”
All | Men | Women
Strongly Agree 6% 3% 9%
Agree 32% 30% 34%
Disagree 34% 39% 30%
Strongly Disagree 18% 23% 13%
Not Sure 10% 5% 14%
“The court also ruled that the Legislature had to
decided how to guarantee these legal benefits and
protections for same-sex couples. Which of the
following would you like the Legislature to enact
when it comes to deciding on how to guarantee legal
benefits and protections for same-sex couples?”
All | Men | Women
Allow Benefits and obligations of marriage but do not recognize
same-sex marriages
28% 19% 36%
Change existing marriage laws to include same-sex couples
13% 5% 20%
Neither/Not Sure 59% 76% 44%
“Would you favor or oppose overturning the
Supreme Court’s decision by passage of an
amendment to the Vermont Constitution that would
define marriage as a union between
one man and one woman?”
All | Men | Women
Favor 49% 54% 45%
Oppose 44% 39% 47%
Not Sure 7% 7% 8%
Breakdown:
Sex:
Men 310 (50%)
Women 313 (50%)
Geographic:
Northern 401 (64%)
Southern 222 (36%)
= Examiner/KTVU poll
Conducted January 21 through 24, 2000
Released January 28, 2000
Conducted by Research 2000 of Rockville, Maryland
644 California likely March primary voters
Asked if respondent would favor Proposition 22
(the “Knight Initiative,” a measure
to limit marriages:
54% of voters support
38% oppose it
8% undecided
The results are little-changed from the
Examiner/KTVU poll in November 1999.
= Harris Poll
Conducted January 6-10, 2000
Released February 2, 2000
1,010 adults nationwide
57% disapproved of legalizing marriage
between two men
55% rejected it for women
15% approved it for two men
16% supported it for two women
about 25% did not feel strongly
2-to-4% did not know how they felt or refused to respond
The numbers approving of same-sex marriage were up
about 50% from four years ago, when only
11% supported it for women and 10% for men.
55% disapproved of adoption by female couples
57% disapproved of adoption by male couples
22% approved of adoption by female couples
21% approved of adoption by male couples
Almost 20% said they did not feel strongly
about the issue.
56% favored expanding current laws banning
discrimination based on race, age, disability,
religion and gender to gay men and women.
34% said they opposed such legislation
11% said they did not know or refused to answer
Two years ago 52% favored legislation protecting
gay people from discrimination, while 41% opposed it.
Federal law does not bar employers from firing workers, or
landlords from refusing to rent to people because they are gay
and the majority of states do not ban anti-gay discrimination.
52% thought homosexuality stemmed from
“what you learn and experience’”
35% said it was genetic
(This marked a change from 65% learned Vs.
29% genetic in 1995.) Accordingly 46
% said they felt sexual orientation
“can be changed through will power,
therapy or religious conviction,”)
44% said it could not be changed
(Mainstream medical and psychiatric professional
organizations have concluded that sexual
orientation is innate and cannot be changed,
and have opposed attempts to “convert”
gay people to heterosexuality as
misguided and harmful.)
48% said they have either close personal
friends or relatives who are gay.
= Research 2000 of Rockville, Md.
Conducted April 26-27, 2000 for The Rutland Herald,
The Barre-Montpelier Times Argus,
and WCAX Channel 3 News
513 Vermont registered voters
Do you approve of the new Civil Union law?
52% don’t approve
43% support it
16% strong disapproval
9% strongly approved
Breakdown:
Women:
47% approved
46% disapproved
14% strongly disapproved
12% strongly approved
Men:
59% disapproved
38% approved of the bill
18% strongly disapproved
60 and older:
59% disapproved
35% approved
18-29 years old:
51% approved or strongly approved
How important is the passage of the civil unions bill in
determining their vote for governor?
51% - won’t have much weight.
33% - not very important
24% - it will be important
19% - somewhat important
18% - not affect their vote at all
5% - they didn’t know
Among those who disapproved:
Would passage of the bill effect your vote for governor?
44% little or no effect
31% a very, or somewhat, important factor
Are you more or less likely to vote for a candidate for
governor who supported the civil unions bill?
56% - would have no effect on their vote
22% - were unsure
14% - less likely to vote for someone who supported the bill
8% - more likely to vote for someone who supported the bill
Is the bill important in voting for members of the Legislature?
30% - not very important
28% - weren’t sure
27% - it would be important
21% - somewhat important
15% - it would not be a factor at all
6% - it would be very important
Among those who disapproved of the civil unions bill
34% said it would be a very, or somewhat, important factor in
determining their vote for legislative candidates
Among those who disapprove of civil unions,
37% said passage of the bill would have
little or no effect on their votes for the Legislature
Would a candidate’s support for civil unions influence
your vote in house and senate elections?
53% - would have no effect on their voting
25% - were unsure
15% - less likely to vote for a supporter of union law
7% - were more likely to vote for a supporter
How should a legislator vote when at odds with the
majority of his or her constituents?
37% - legislators should do what they think is right
34% - should vote with the majority of constituents
29% were unsure
Among those who disapproved of the civil unions:
40% said lawmakers should vote with their constituents
40% said lawmakers should do what they believed was right
How much weight should legislators give to the views
of religious leaders in matters of public policy?
50% - religious views should be given little or no consideration
44% - such consideration was not very important
almost 40% - should be taken into account
32% - it was important
7% - it was very important
6% - not important at all
Do you support defining marriage in the Vermont Constitution?
51% - support the idea
42% - oppose the idea
Would you support allowing same-sex couples to legally
marry “sometime in the future?”
51% - would not approve
40% - would like to see such marriages someday
Do you know or work with someone who is gay or lesbian?
42% - no
41% - yes
17% - declined to answer
Among those who knew gay men or lesbians:
48% approved of the civil unions bill
45% disapproved
Among those without gay acquaintances
59% disapproved
38% approved of the bill
Is sexual orientation was a matter of choice or biology?
43% - believed it was a matter of choice
38% - believed people were born heterosexual or homosexual
19% were unsure
Breakdown:
40% of women - it was biology
40% of women - it was choice
47% of men - it was choice
38% of men - it was biology
= Associated Press, ICR of Media, Pennsylvania
Conducted May 17-21, 2000
Released May 31, 2000
1,012 adults from all states except Alaska and Hawaii by telephone
Splitting the sample increased the margin of error
beyond the estimated +-3% for the rest of the poll.
Half were asked:
“In general, do you think gays and lesbians should
or should not be allowed to be legally married?”:
51% opposed
34% approved
11% don’t know
3% refused to answer
The other half were asked:
“In general, do you think gays and lesbians should
or should not be allowed to form a domestic
partnership that would give the same-sex couple the
same rights and benefits as opposite sex marriage?”:
46% opposed
41% approved
11% don’t know
3% refused to answer
Providing health insurance coverage to gay partners:
53% favor
37% oppose
7% don’t know
3% refused to answer
Providing Social Security benefits to gay partners:
50% favor
41% oppose
6% don’t know
3% refused to answer
Providing inheritance rights to gay partners:
56% favor
32% oppose
9% don’t know
3% refused to answer
The following were in support of same-sex marriage:
40% women
25% men
40% Democrats
20% Republicans
54% for ages 18 -34
14% for those over 65
Is sexual orientation is inborn:
46% homosexuality is chosen
30% homosexuality is inborn
20% don’t know
4% refused to answer
Among those who view orientation as inborn:
59% same-sex couples should be allowed to marry
Among those who believe homosexual orientation is a choice:
69% opposed same-sex marriage
= Las Vegas Review-Journal
Conducted June 12-15, 2000
Released June 17, 2000
Conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Inc.
637 Nevada citizens by telephone who vote regularly in state elections
Question: Currently, a petition is being circulated to put an initiative
on the state ballot in November that would amend the Nevada Constitution
to provide that “only a marriage between a male and a female person shall
be recognized and given effect in the state.” If this initiative were on
the ballot and you were voting today, would you vote:
- “YES,” to approve this proposed amendment, OR
- “NO,” to defeat this proposed amendment?
61% yes
30% no
9% undecided
Breakdown:
Sex:
Men:
64% yes
29% no
7% undecided
Women:
58% yes
31% no
11% undecided
Geographic:
Clark County:
57% yes
34% no
9% undecided
Washoe County:
64% yes
27% no
9% undecided
Rural:
69% yes
24% no
7% undecided
= Who’s Who Among American High School Students
Released November 29, 2000
2,804 students ages 16-18 who were maintaining grade averages
of at least 3.0, with 97% planning to go on to college.
54% believe same-sex couples should be allowed to marry
The same survey claimed that students admitted to being biased
against homosexuals 38% (down 10% from their 1998
survey) admitting to personal bias against “homosexuals”
but majorities supporting a range of employment opportunities
for them, as well as marriage for gay and lesbian couples.
Bias against other groups include:
15% against Hispanics
13% against African Americans
8% against Asian Americans
4% against Caucasians
5% against Jews
Among those respondents:
4.8% of the men
3.6% of the women
identified themselves as “bisexual,”, “homosexual,”, or “uncertain.”
———— 2001 ————
= Higher Education Research Institute
University of California, Los Angeles
Conducted in 2000
Released by the Chronicle of Higher Education, January 26, 2001
269,413 students at 434 baccalaureate colleges and universities
56% agreed that “same-sex couples should have
the right to legal marital status.”
35th annual freshman survey, conducted during freshman
orientation and the first week of classes, reflecting
students’ experiences in their last year of high
school, as well as expectations for college.
= Gallup Organization, Princeton, N.J.
“American Attitudes Toward Homosexuality Continue to Become More Tolerant”
Conducted May 10-14, 2001
Released June 4, 2001
1,012 U.S. adults, 18 years and older, by telephone
+-3% error possibility
“Would you favor or oppose a law that would allow homosexual
couples to legally form civil unions, giving them some of the legal
rights of married couples?”
52% oppose
44% favor
4% had no opinion
Compare to last year’s
responses on October 25-28, 2000
54% oppose
42% favor
4% had no opinion
= Hamilton College, Clinton, New York
Professor Dennis Gilbert’s survey research class designed the poll
Conducted by Zogby International, March 16-20, 2001
Released in August 2001
1,003 high school seniors
66% said gay marriages should be legal
Other related findings:
68% said gay couples should be allowed to adopt children
88% supported hate crimes legislation
79% favored anti-discrimination
laws protecting gay people
31.5% said they would be comfortable at
a party with both gay and straight couples
Despite the apparent overwhelming support for gay men
and lesbians, the survey found U.S. high schools
remain a largely hostile environment for gay students,
with nearly half having witnessed students being
called “faggot,” “homo” or “dyke” to their face. Some
88% said the phrase “that’s so gay” is used to
describe something that is disliked.
———— 2002 ————
= The Fall 2001 Freshmen Survey
Higher Education Research Institute
Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, UCLA
Released January 28, 2002
411,970 entering freshmen at 704 of the nation’s higher education
institutions. Data culled from 281,064 of those students at 421
baccalaureate institutions have been statistically adjusted to be
representative of the 1.2 million freshmen entering four-year colleges
and universities as first-time, full-time students in the fall of 2001.
“Same-sex couples should have the right to legal marital status”
57.9% agreed
[56% agreed in 2000]
[50.9% agreed in 1997]
Students who “advocated laws prohibiting homosexual relationships”
24.9%
[27.2% in 2000]
[50.4% in 1987]
In its 36th year, the UCLA Survey is the nation’s longest-standing
and most comprehensive assessment of student attitudes and plans.
Conducted in association with the American Council on Education,
the survey serves as a resource for higher education researchers
throughout the world.
———— 2003 ————
= Boston Globe/WBZ-TV
Conducted March 2003
Released April 2003
400 Massachusetts residents
Do you support same-sex marriage:
50% yes
44% no
= Gallup Poll
Conducted May 5-7, 2003
1,005 telephone national sample of adults
Margin of error +-three%
Do you favor a law that would “allow homosexual couples to
legally form civil unions, giving them some of the legal rights
of married couples?”:
49% approve
49% disapprove
Should “homosexual” couples have the same legal rights
as married “heterosexual” couples regarding health care
benefits and Social Security survivor benefits?
62% should
35% should not
3% no opinion
Should gay men and lesbians have equal rights for job opportunities?
88% approve (56% in 1977)
9% disapprove
1% no opinion
Is homosexuality an acceptable “alternative lifestyle?”
[Note: Bad word choice.
“Lifestyle” is one’s income or class, not an orientation.]
54% approve
43% disapprove
Is homosexuality something a person is born with, or
due to factors such as upbringing or environment?
44% due to environment
38% due to genetics
11% due to environment and genetics
2% neither
Should homosexual relations between consenting adults be legal?
60% should be legal
35% should not be legal
5% no opinion
The survey shows that concept of legal acceptance for same-sex
relationships has reached the 60% level, which is up from
52% in 2002, and up from 43% when Gallup
first began asking about homosexuality in 1977.
= University of New Hampshire Survey Center
Conducted April 11-22, 2003
Reported May 2003
The portion dealing with same-sex marriage was commissioned
by the New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition
509 New Hampshire adults
(part of the regularly conducted Granite State Poll)
Margin of error +/- 4.4%
Do you favor “a law that will allow the state to
issue civil marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples?”
54% agree
42% oppose
The poll also found that:
84% personally know someone who is gay, lesbian or bisexual
71% agree that “a gay or lesbian person can
fall in love with someone of the same sex in the same
way that opposite-sex couples fall in love.”
Additionally, the poll found broad support for extending many of the
specific benefits of marriage to same-sex couples:
88% agree that same-sex couples should have
the same hospital visitation rights as close relatives
85% agree that a same-sex spouse should be
allowed to make medical decisions
for an incapacitated partner
78% agree that same-sex couples should be
allowed family medical leave time from work
to care for an ill spouse
70% agree that same-sex couples should have
automatic inheritance rights without inheritance taxes
68% agree that same-sex couples should have
the same pension and social security
benefits as married couples
Younger respondents were much more likely than older
respondents to support same-sex marriage legislation:
ages 17-29:
70% support
ages over 70:
64% opposed
Age Support | Oppose | Undecided
18-29 70 28 3
30-39 65 35 0
40-49 56 38 6
50-59 50 45 5
60-69 41 51 8
70+ 32 64 2
There were strong differences based on sex:
Women:
65% support same-sex marriage
30% oppose
Men:
43% support
54% oppose
Married people were more likely to support same-sex marriage:
50% support
44% oppose
Protestants and Catholics were both evenly divided
with half supporting same-sex marriage and half opposing.
= Gallup Poll
Conducted on July 1, 2003
Reported in USA Today, July 2003
Reported in The Advocate, July 22, 2003
Should same-sex marriage, and all the rights and benefits, be recognized?
55% no
39% yes [Up from 27% in 1996]
Breakdown:
Approval of same-sex marriages by educational level:
51% postgraduate
44% college
31% high school or less
Approval by age level:
61% 18-29
37% 30-49
22*% 65-older [*surmised from news reports]
Approval by church-going level:
57% seldom or never attend church
(36% opposed)
26*% attend church weekly [*surmised from news reports]
(74% opposed)
More than half of those surveyed said a friend, relative or co-worker
had personally told them that he or she was gay; that’s more than
double the%age in 1985.
Nearly one-third said they had become more accepting of gay people
in recent years.
Just 8% said they had become less accepting.
= Pew Research Center for the People and the Press
Conducted June 24-July 8, 2003
Released July 2003
2,002 adults polled nationwide
Sampling error +/- 2.5%
53% opposed same-sex marriage
(down from 65% in 1996)
38% support same-sex marriage
(up from 27% in 1996)
The Pew report, focused on the role of religion in
politics, and found that white, mainline Protestants
and white Roman Catholics had become significantly
more accepting of same-sex marriage.
The report states: “But notably, the shift in favor of
gay marriage is seen in nearly every segment of
society with two significant exceptions -- white
evangelical Protestants and African Americans. While a
higher%age of white evangelicals (83%)
than blacks (64%) oppose legalizing gay
marriages, neither group has changed its views
significantly since 1996.”
= USA Today / CNN / Gallup Poll
“Poll shows backlash on gay issues” by Susan Page
[In recent weeks, the Supreme Court struck down a Texas
anti-sodomy law, a Canadian court allowed gay couples to marry
in Ontario and Wal-Mart, the USA’s largest private employer,
expanded anti-discrimination protection to gay workers.]
Released in USA Today, July 29, 2003
Sampling error +-3%
Should homosexual relations between consenting adults be legal:
Combined two May 2003 polls:
60% approve
35% disapprove
Combined two July 2003 polls:
48% approve
46% disapprove
Breakdown:
Among African Americans:
May
58% approve
July
36% approve
Among whose who attended church almost every week:
May
61% approve
July
49% approve
Do you support state-recognized civil unions that would give gay
couples some of the legal rights of married opposite-sex couples:
May 2003
49% approve
49% opposed
June 2003
57% approve
40% opposed
= Zogby International
Conducted July 15-19, 2003
Released July 28, 2003
Poll commissioned by four New Jersey chapters of
Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
Reported: Philadelphia Inquirer, July 29, 2003,
and in the Newark Star-Ledger, July 29, 2003
803 New Jersey likely voter adults by telephone
Margin of error +-3.6%
Should same-sex marriage be legalized:
55% approve
41% disapprove
Breakdown:
Geographic:
South Jersey:
60% approved
35% disapprove
North Jersey:
53% approved
Central New Jersey:
52% approved
Ethnicity:
Hispanic:
69% approve
White:
56% approve
40% disapprove
Black:
61% disapprove
Asian:
65% disapprove
Religion:
Jew:
69% approve
28% disapprove
Catholic:
57% approve
39% disapprove
Sex:
Women:
58% approve
Men:
52% approve
Age:
18-to-29 years old:
81% approve
30-to-49:
60% approve
50-to-64:
49% approve
65-and-older:
32% approve
The number of New Jerseyans who said they personally
knew someone who is gay, lesbian or bisexual:
77% yes
23% no
= Field Poll
Conducted August 10-13, 2003
Reported by the Associated Press, August 29, 2003
629 registered voters
Sampling error +-5.8%
Oppose same-sex marriage:
age 65 and older
75% of voters
age 18-39
46% of voters
Sex between consenting same-sex adults is “not at all wrong:”
45%
Sex between consenting same-sex adults is “always wrong:”
36%
Gay rights leaders are moving too fast:
40%
The pace of change is about right:
44% found
Same-sex couples in committed relationships should
enjoy family rights, such as hospital visitation and
medical powers of attorney:
72% approve
Expanding rights to include financial benefits,
such as pensions and insurance coverage:
61% favor
While half of California voters remain opposed to
same-sex marriages, but more than seven in 10 support
domestic partnership laws granting same-sex couples
legal recognition and rights.
Republicans and voters who identified themselves as
conservative were more than twice as likely as
Democrats and self-described liberals to disapprove of
same-sex marriage.
At the same time, the share of survey respondents who
think gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to
marry -- 42% -- is higher than at any time
since Field first asked the question in 1977, a trend
likely to continue as the population ages.
= Badger Poll
Conducted September 18, 2003
Conducted by the University of Wisconsin Survey Center
511 respondents
Moral opposition to adult homosexual relations:
58% thought it “basically wrong”
60 or older
77% morally opposed
30 or younger
35% morally opposed
Law allowing same-sex couples to marry:
60% disapprove
Civil Unions
48% approve
47% oppose
Homosexual relations in private should be legal:
60%
Homosexuals should be allowed to teach
in elementary schools in Wisconsin:
73% approve
Gay men and lesbians should be allowed in military service:
87% approve
Knew a homosexual person:
30 or younger
80%
60 or older
63%
= USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll
Conducted September 19-21, 2003
Released early October 2003
1,003 adults surveyed
Sampling error +-3%
50% said allowing same-sex marriage would
either improve society or have no effect
48% said allowing same-sex unions
“will change our society for the worse”
Support same-sex marriage:
67% of those who are 18-29 years of age
53% for 30-49-year-olds
“Allowing two people of the same sex to legally
marry will change our society for the worse.”
For those who said they attended church weekly:
67% agree
For those who attended services at least once a month:
51% agree
= Pew Research Center for People and the Press
Conducted October 15-19, 2003
Released November 18, 2003
Survey of 1,515 American adults
Sampling error +/- 3%
On legalizing same-sex marriage:
59% oppose
32% approve
= Decision Research
Conducted October 16-22, 2003
Released October 30, 2003
600 interviews of registered Massachusetts voters
Sampling error +/- 4.0%
Same-sex couples should have civil marriage:
59% agree
35% oppose
If civil marriage for same-sex couples were legal:
77% find it acceptable
22% would not
If the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled
that same-sex have a constitutional right to marry:
64% I would agree
34% I would oppose
On a Massachusetts Constitutional amendment
prohibiting civil marriage for same-sex couples:
58% oppose
38% agree
There are more important priorities for government
than passing a Constitutional Amendment
to ban same-sex marriage:
79% agree
20% disagree
Civil marriage for same-sex couples will
become legal in my lifetime:
83% agree
Expanding marriage to same-sex couples is
not threatening the institution of marriage:
62% agree
35% disagree
= Merrimack College
Conducted early November 2003
491 Massachusetts adults
Sampling error +-5%
On allowing same-sex marriage or civil unions:
75% support either
Conducted in the days before and after the decision,
but the numbers didn’t shift after the ruling
= Decision Research
Conducted on October 22-27, 2003
Released November 18, 2003
600 telephone interviews of registered Connecticut voters
Sampling error +-4%
Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage:
57% agree
38% disagree
If civil marriage between same-sex couples were legal:
77% find it acceptable
22% would not
Should Connecticut recognize same-sex marriages from another state:
59% agree
from another country, such as Canada:
58%
On passing a law to prohibit recognition of civil
unions, domestic partnerships or any union other than
the marriage of one man and one woman?
60% oppose
Government has no business intruding into the lives of
two people in a committed relationship by saying gays
and lesbians don’t have the right to marry the
person they choose:
69% agree
28% disagree
Do you expect civil marriage between same-sex couples
to become legal in your lifetime?
81% agree
= Boston Globe/WBZ-TV
Released November 23, 2003
400 Massachusetts residents
Sampling error +-5%
On the ruling requiring Massachusetts
to offer legal marriage to same-sex couples:
50% agreed with the ruling
38% opposed it
11% no opinion
Breakdown:
Among women
55% agreed with the justices' decision
35% disagreed
Among men
44% agreeing
42% disagree
The court’s decision draws strong support from
Democrats, young and middle age people, registered
independents, and college graduates.
Catholics and Protestants were evenly divided.
On the proposed Massachusetts constitutional amendment:
53% oppose
36% in favor
Pass a civil union law providing some benefits
and rights for same-sex couples
37% support
44% oppose
4% no opinion
16% want the governor and legislators to defy
the court’s ruling
23% want the governor and lawmakers to pass
legislation that would provide benefits and rights for
same-sex couples, but limit marriage to
opposite-sex couples
A state constitutional amendment would need to be approved by voters.
The earliest it could be on the ballot is November 2006 --
two-and-a-half years after the ruling.]
= Boston Sunday Herald
Released November 23, 2003
405 Massachusetts residents
Sampling error +-5%
On the ruling requiring Massachusetts
to offer legal marriage to same-sex couples:
49% support legalizing same-sex marriage
38% oppose it
On the proposed U.S. Constitutional amendment:
54% opposed
36% in favor
———— 2004 ————
= University of Massachusetts
Conducted March 30-April 4, 2004
463 residents (400 were registered voters)
Margin of error +-5%
Survey began the day after lawmakers approved an amendment to alter the
Massachusetts constitution to prohibit civil rights for same-sex couples
[See our article: Massachusetts Legal Marriage]
47% oppose the proposal
47% back it
Given specific choices:
40% support same-sex marriage
28% support a ban on marriage that also provides for Civil Unions
17% strongly oppose legalizing same-sex marriage and Civil Unions
52% support Gov. Mitt Romney’s effort to ask the state
Supreme Judicial Court to stay its ruling that legalized gay and
lesbian marriages. Under the ruling, same-sex marriage will be
legal in Massachusetts on May 17, 2004.
59% rate the Legislature’s job on the
same-sex marriage issue not good or poor
35% rate the Legislature’s job as excellent or good
= Wichita Eagle and KWCH-TV (Channel 12)
Released April 26, 2004
Conducted by SurveyUSA
Survey completed the week before April 26, 2004
Margin of error +-4.5%
Support a ban on same-sex marriage
45% oppose
about 43% approve
= Los Angeles Times
Conducted April 17-21, 2004
Released April 26, 2004
1,571 California adults
Margin of error +-3%
[bracket figures represent a March national poll,
also conducted by the L.A. Times]
Favor same-sex marriages:
slightly less than 33% support
[25% nationally]
Breakdown:
Among 18-29-year-olds
nearly 50% support
[44% nationally]
Among 65 and older
20% support
[10% nationally]
Among Democrats
44% support
[about 33%]
Among Republicans
8% support
[6% nationally wide]
Among Christians (Catholics and non-Catholics)
who attend religious services once a week or more
13% support
Jews were more likely to support same-sex marriage, but
sample numbers were too small to draw definitive conclusions.
Favor Civil Unions:
about 40% favor unions, but not marriage
[slightly more than the national average]
Breakdown:
Among Republicans
about 50% support unions
[38% nationally]
Among Christians (Catholics and non-Catholics)
who attend religious services once a week or more
41% support unions
Oppose both same-sex marriage and civil unions:
25% oppose both
[34% oppose both nationally]
Breakdown:
65 and older
25% oppose both
[50% nationally]
Among Christians (Catholics and non-Catholics)
who attend religious services once a week or more
41% oppose both
Is same-sex marriage “morally wrong?”
more than 50% said “no”
40% said “yes”
[a March national poll showed 48% said “yes”]
Oppose the Federal Constitution marriage amendment:
51% oppose
43% favor
[51% supported it nationally]
Breakdown:
Among Latino
52% support
Among Democrats
nearly 33% oppose
[about 50% oppose]
Among Republicans
67% favor
[73% favor]
Whites were more likely than African Americans
or Latinos to support same-sex marriage
= Field Poll
Conducted May 18-to-24, 2004
Released June 3, 2004
745 registered voters
Sampling error +-5.2%
Legal Marriage
53-to-43% oppose legalizing same-sex marriage
[numbers about the same for the past year
In 1995, 55% opposed legalizing gay marriage
In 1985, 62% opposed legalizing gay marriage]
Large majorities of Republicans, older voters, evangelical Christians
and Bush supporters opposed to legalizing same-sex marriage.
A smaller majority of Democrats, Kerry supporters and
voters aged 18-to-34 support legal same-sex marriage.
54-to-41% oppose a Constitutional amendment banning
same-sex marriage.
While a majority of Republicans, Bush supporters and evangelical
Christians favored such an amendment, the level of support among those
voters was not as great as their opposition to legalizing same-sex marriage.
Abortion Rights
71% support abortion rights
22% favored more restrictions on abortion
[roughly consistent with survey finding since 1991]
Support for abortion rights cut across party lines, ages, sexes and
regions of the state. A strong majority of Democrats and backers of
the party’s presumptive presidential candidate, John Kerry, said
they support a woman’s right to abortion, while a narrower
majority of Republicans and supporters of President Bush also
said they favored abortion rights.
Among religious groups, only evangelical Christians support further
restrictions on abortion - and then only by a small plurality:
49-to-42%. A majority of Catholics, Protestants and members
of other religious groups support abortion rights.
———— 2005 ————
= CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll
Conducted March 18-20, 2005
Reported by the Washington Times, DC, April 2, 2005
443 adults polled
Should same-sex marriages be recognized by law
with the same rights as traditional marriages:
68% opposed
28% supported
4% no opinion
[A similar poll of 466 adults by Gallup in 2004 found that:
55% opposed same-sex marriages
42% should be recognized
What marital arrangements should be recognized
for same-sex couples:
45% favored neither marriage nor civil unions
27% favored civil unions
20% favored same-sex marriage]
Do you favor a constitutional amendment that
would define marriage as “between a man and a woman:”
57% supported
37% opposed
[A similar poll of 466 adults by Gallup in 2004 found that:
48% favored an amendment
46% opposed]
= Global Strategy Group
Cpnducted March 2005
Released April 6, 2005
Conducted for Empire State Pride Agenda
600 telephone interviews of registered NY voters
Margin of error +-4%
Marriage for same-sex couples:
51% support
42% opposed
[A similar Global Strategy Group poll conducted for the
Pride Agenda in March 2004 found:
47% in support of same-sex marriage
46% opposed]
Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships:
72% support
25% oppose
Burial Decision-making
83% support
20% oppose
Medical Decision-making:
82% support
19% oppose
Health Insurance:
80% support
17% oppose
Inheritance Rights:
78% support
23% oppose
Pension Benefits:
75% support
22% oppose
Tax Benefits:
75% support
24% oppose
Child Custody Rights:
72% support
19% oppose
Amending U.S. Constitution to bar marriage for same-sex couples:
54% oppose
40% support
New York Legislature passing a “Defense of Marriage
Act” to bar marriage between same-sex couples:
49% oppose
46% support
New York State recognizing marriages between same-sex
couples legally conducted in other states:
55% support
41% oppose
Questions on same-sex marriage decided best by courts or legislature:
38% say legislature
35% say courts
Should judges have the right to legalize same-sex marriage:
48% support
41% oppose
Support for candidate for public office favoring same-sex marriage:
59% more likely to support or would make no difference
37% less likely to support
Support public office candidates favoring civil union/domestic partnership:
70% more likely to support or would make no difference
27% less likely to support
= Quinnipiac University Poll
Conducted March 28-April 4, 2005
Reported in Newsday April 7, 2005
1,541 Connecticut registered voters by telephone
Sampling error +-3%
The poll was released the day after the state Senate voted 27-9
in favor of a bill to allow civil unions, which would give gay
and lesbian couples many of the same rights as married couples.
Civil Unions
56% support
Legal Marriage for Same-sex Couples
53% oppose
Democrats:
Civil Unions
66% support
Marriage
53% support
Republicans:
Civil Unions
45% support
48% opposed
Legal Marriage
70% oppose
= CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll
March 2005
Do you think marriages between homosexuals should or
should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the
same rights as traditional marriages?
68% oppose
28% affirm
Support for same-sex marriage in March 1996
27% support
Support for same-sex marriage in June 2003
39% support
= Boston Globe
Conducted May 4-May 9, 2005
Released May 15, 2005
Conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center
760 randomly selected U.S. adults
Margin of error +-3.6%
Should same-sex couples be allowed to
have legal marriage?
50% opposed
37% favored
Should all 50 states recognize same-sex marriages from Massachusetts?
50% opposed
46% favored
Should Civil Unions be offered to provide some, but
not all, of the legal rights of married couples?
46% favored
41% opposed
Legal marriage for same-sex couples?
18-34-year olds:
39% disapprove
35-49-year olds:
46% disaprove
50-64-year olds:
51% disaprove
65-older:
64% disaprove
Will some states join Massachusetts to legalize
same-sex marriage?
76% yes
Would some, or all states, end up legalizing same-sex marriage?
Of those who support legal marriage:
91% yes
Of those who do not support legal marriage:
63% yes
Sex between people of the same sex is always wrong
41% yes
[Down from 58% in a 1998 survey by the National Opinion
Research Center at the University of Chicago]
Should homosexuals be allowed to openly serve in the military?
79% yes
[Up from 57% in a 2000 Opinion Dynamics Poll]
Do you support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution
banning same-sex marriage?
47% opposed
45% supported
Do you support state laws banning same-sex marriage?
46% oppose
46% support
Should legislatures decide marriage law? (rather than courts)
52% legislatures
29% judges
In the Globe survey for those within Massachusetts,
“do you favor same-sex legal marriage?”
Conducted in February 2004:
53% opposed
Conducted in March 2005:
56% favored
34% did not know which state (Massachusetts)
had allowed marriage for same-sex couples
21% said they thought no state had legalized it
Do you oppose legal marriage for religious or moral reasons?
62% yes
= Gallup Poll
Conducted May 2-5, 2005.
Released May 23, 2005
Margin of error +-5%
Two questions compared with their March 2005 survey
Released by CNN and USA Today
+ Do you think marriages between homosexuals should or should
not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights
as traditional marriages?
[492 American adults by telephone]
May 2005 March 2005
------------ ------------
Should be recognized as valid
39% 28%
Should not be recognized as valid
56% 68%
+ Would you favour or oppose a constitutional amendment that
would define marriage as being between a man and a woman,
thus barring marriages between gay or lesbian couples?
[514 American adults by telephone]
May 2005 March 2005
------------ ------------
Favour
53% 57%
Oppose
44% 37%
= Equality Illinois
Conducted June 6-8, 2005
Released June 27, 2005
600 registered Illinois voters by telephone
Margin of error +-4%
“Do you support or oppose allowing same-sex marriage?”
48% oppose
39% support
“Do you support or oppose allowing civil unions?”
53% support
36% oppose
= Pew Research Center for People and the Press
Released the week of August 15, 2005
In favor of legal recognition for lesbian and gay couples
53%
The poll showed support for the freedom to marry, as well as
for civil unions and other steps toward marriage itself,
increasing among most religious groups, especially among white
evangelical Protestants, from 26-percent in December 2004,
to 35% today.
Polling results show a continuing decline in support for a
constitutional amendment to permanently exclude lesbian and
gay couples, and their families, from the rights,
responsibilities, and protections of marriage.
———— 2006 ————
= Pew Research Center for People and the Press
Conducted March 8-12, 2006
Released March 22, 2006
1,405 adults
Allowing Gay men and Lesbians to Legally Marry
Jun 1996 | Mar 2001 | Jul 2003 | Feb 2004 | Aug 2004 | Jul 2005 | Mar 2006
Oppose 65 57 53 63 60 53 51
Favor 27 35 38 30 29 36 39
Allowing gay parental adoption
1999 | 2006
Oppose 57 48
Favor 38 46
Don’t know 5 6
Gay people openly serving in military
1994 | 2006
Favor 52 60
Oppose 45 32
Don’t know 3 8
From the Pew report:
“Public acceptance of homosexuality has increased in a number of ways in recent years, though it remains a deeply divisive issue. Half of Americans (51%) continue to oppose legalizing gay marriage, but this number has declined significantly from 63% in February 2004, when opposition spiked following the Massachusetts Supreme Court decision and remained high throughout the 2004 election season. Opposition to gay marriage has fallen across the board, with substantial declines even among Republicans.
“These are among the results of the latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted among 1,405 adults from March 8-12. The poll also finds less opposition to gays serving openly in the military and a greater public willingness to allow gays to adopt children. A 60% majority now favors allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, up from 52% in 1994, and 46% support gay adoption, up from 38% in 1999.
“Despite the fact that gay marriage initiatives are on the ballot in seven states this year, the atmosphere surrounding the issue of gay marriage has cooled off, and public intensity has dissipated compared with two years ago. ‘Strong’ opposition to gay marriage, which surged in 2004, has ebbed to a new low. This is particularly the case among seniors, Catholics and nonevangelical Protestants. Among people age 65 and over, for example, strong opposition to gay marriage jumped from 36% in 2003 to 58% in 2004, but has fallen to 33% today. White evangelical Protestants are the only major group in which a majority still strongly opposes gay marriage, but even here the intensity of feeling has receded somewhat.”
= Global Strategy Group
For Empire State Pride Agenda
Conducted March 2006
Released April 10, 2006
658 telephone interviews of prospective NY voters
Margin of error +-3.8%
Marriage equality for gay men and lesbians
53% support
38% do not support
[An identical poll in 2004 found:
47% in favor of marriage equality
46% against]
Other findings:
Civil Unions and domestic partnerships:
72% support
22% oppose
New York Legislature passing a “Defense of Marriage Act”
to bar legal marriage marriage:
50% oppose
43% support
New York respecting out-of-state marriages between same-sex couples:
57% support
36% oppose
Support for state senator or assemblymember voting to allow marriage:
26% more likely to support
42% makes no difference
Support for state senator or assemblymember voting to allow same-sex
couples to form civil unions or domestic partnerships:
35% more likely to support
39% makes no difference
Support for state senator or assemblymember voting to discriminate
against same-sex couples by denying them the right to marry:
45% less likely to support
30% makes no difference
Courts or legislature should having authority to decide questions
about same-sex marriage:
47% courts
40% legislature
= Greenberg Quinlan Rosner
Conducted April 6-9, 2006
Released April 12, 2006
Conducted for Marriage Equality Rhode Island
500 likely November general election voters
Margin of error +-4.4%
Legal marriage:
45 percent allow
39 percent oppose
Breakdown:
Of those younger than 40:
67% support legal marriage
Other findings:
Likely to vote for a pro marriage equality candidate:
44% makes no difference
25% yes
22% no
Most important issues the state government should address?
41% health care
40% education
33% taxes
27% economy
5% Same-sex marriage
Determining factor for General Assembly candidates:
73% reforming health care
70% public education
62% reducing government spending
21% marriage equality
= St. Norbert College Survey Center, De Pere, and Wisconsin Public Radio
Conducted March 29-April 7, 2006
Released April 14, 2006
400 polled by phone
Margin of error +=5%
Do you approve of a state constitutional amendment restricting
the definition of marriage to a union between a man and woman:
61% yes
34% no
[2004 survey
66% yes
27% no]
Do you approve of civil unions, granting unmarried couples certain
legal rights such as hospital visitation and insurance coverage:
59% yes
30% no
Do you approve of civil unions between same-sex partners:
48% yes
47% no
Wisconsin residents vote on just such a anti-marriage amendment in November
2006. It also prohibits civil unions with similar benefits as marriage.
= Gallup Poll
Conducted May 8-11, 2006
Released May 31, 2006
1,002 adults, 18 and older, in randomly nationally selected telephone interviews
Maximum sampling error ±3 percentage
Moral acceptability of homosexuality:
51% morally wrong
44% morally acceptable
74% acceptable among liberal Americans
18% acceptable among frequent churchgoers
54% acceptable to those under 40 years old
32% acceptable to seniors
Perceived Morality of Homosexual Relations
morally morally net
acceptable wrong acceptable
National adults
44% 51% -7%
Liberal
74% 23% +51%
Seldom/Never worship
64% 31% +33%
Women ages 18 to 49
55% 41% +14%
All 18- to 39-year-olds
54% 43% +11%
Democratic
52% 45% +7%
Moderate
50% 44% +6%
Independent
50% 44% +6%
All 50-to-64-year-olds
45% 51% -6%
Women ages 50 or older
41% 53% -12%
Men ages 18-to-49
42% 56% -14%
Worship nearly weekly
41% 55% -14%
All 40-to-49-year-olds
40% 58% -18%
Men ages 50 or older
35% 59% -24%
All 65-year-olds or older
32% 61% -29%
Republican
30% 67% -37%
Conservative
28% 69% -41%
Worship weekly
18% 79% -61%
Groups Consistently Opposing Gay Rights
homosexual homosexuality gay marriage
relations is an should be
should acceptable legally valid
be legal alternative
*lifestyle
[*Gallup is expressing a prejudice by calling homosexuality a “lifestyle,” rather than an orientation.]
Worship weekly
31% 33% 20%
Conservative
36% 37% 18%
Republican
37% 38% 19%
All 65-year-olds or older
34% 38% 27%
Men ages 50 or older
48% 47% 32%
All 40- to 49-year-olds
49% 44% 33%
Groups Consistently Supporting Gay Rights
homosexual homosexuality gay marriage
relations is an should be
should acceptable legally valid
be legal alternative
*lifestyle
[*Gallup is expressing a prejudice by calling homosexuality a “lifestyle,” rather than an orientation.]
Liberal
82% 77% 73%
Seldom/Never worship
71% 67% 51%
Women ages 18 to 49
62% 62% 55%
All 18- to 39-year-olds
63% 62% 51%
Democratic
64% 64% 53%
Groups with Mixed Support for Gay Rights
homosexual homosexuality gay marriage
relations is an should be
should acceptable legally valid
be legal alternative
*lifestyle
[*Gallup is expressing a prejudice by calling homosexuality a “lifestyle,” rather than an orientation.]
Moderate
68% 66% 47%
Independent
65% 59% 45%
All 50- to 64-year-olds
56% 54% 37%
Women ages 50 or older
53% 54% 32%
Men ages 18 to 49
53% 48% 31%
Worship nearly weekly/monthly
57% 54% 44%
“According to Gallup trends, public support for gay rights
expanded considerably over the past three decades. This
is seen in the percentage considering homosexuality an
acceptable lifestyle, growing from 34% in 1982 to a majority
by 2001. However, there has been little change in this over
the last few years.
“The same pattern is seen in attitudes about whether homosexual
men and women should have equal rights in the workplace. Only
56% of Americans favored equal job rights for gays in 1977.
This reached 88% in 2003 and has remained at about that level
ever since.
“Even if people’s current views remain fixed, if the views of
the next generation of young adults are at least as supportive
of gay rights as are today’s young adults, then the nation’s
moral compass is destined to shift even further than it has
already in the direction of gay acceptance.
“Young adults (18- to 39-year-olds) are the only age group
where a majority considers homosexuality morally acceptable,
and as a result they generally favor legal recognition for gay
marriages. By contrast, barely one-quarter of seniors and only
about one-third of middle-aged adults endorse this policy.”
= Public Policy Institute of California
Conducted September 13-20, 2006
Released September 29, 2006
2,003 California adults poled on a wide range of issues by telephone
Sampling error ±2 percentage
Do you favor or oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples
to be legally married?
48% oppose
44% favor
8% don’t know
Breakdown:
Republicans
66% oppose
27% favor
Democrats
35% oppose
58% favor
independents
43% oppose
49% favor
= New York Times / CBS News
Conducted October 27-31, 2006
Released November 5, 2006
Telephone interviews with 1,084 American adults
Margin of error 4 per cent
Same-sex Marriage
28%
(23% in February 2005 poll)
Civil Unions
29%
(34% in February 2005 poll)
No Legal Recognition
38%
(41% in February 2005 poll)
Not Sure
5%
(2% in February 2005 poll)
———— 2007 ————
= Princeton Survey Research Associates / Newsweek
Released by Angus Reid Global Monitor, March 23, 2007
Telephone interviews with 1,001 American adults
Conducted March 14-16, 2007
Margin of error 4 per cent
Do you support full marriage rights for same-sex
couples; support civil unions or partnerships for
same-sex couples, but not full marriage rights, or
do you oppose any legal recognition for same-sex couples?
March 2007
----------
[Marriage and Civil Union support combines to 50%]
Marriage: 26%
Civil unions: 24%
No legal recognition: 44%
Not sure: 6%
Previous survey - October 2006
----------
[Marriage and Civil Union support combines to 50%]
Civil unions: 26%
Marriage: 24%
No legal recognition: 40%
Not sure: 10%
Do you think gays and lesbians should or should
not be able to serve openly in the military?
March 2007
----------
Should: 63%
Should not: 28%
Don’t know: 9%
Previous survey - February 2004
----------
Should: 60%
Should not: 29%
Don’t know: 11%
———— 2008 ————
= Senator Dolye’s Poll
Opinion surveys taken on Vermont’s Town Meeting Day
March 11, 2008
Nearly 7,000 Vermonters
Do you favor same-sex marriage?
54% support allowing same-sex couples to marry
40% opposed
6% no oppinion
This is an 8% increase in support for same-sex marriage since last year.
The poll results are compiled by noted Johnson State College political
science professor and state senator William Doyle (Washington County),
who has run the poll since 1969. The Doyle poll is not considered a
scientific survey, but an annual sampling of views by voters taking
part in Town Meeting Day, a 200-year-old tradition.
= Gallup Poll
May 8-11, 2008
1,017 adults nationwide
margin of error ± 3 percent (for all adults)
"Do you think marriages between same-sex couples should
or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with
the same rights as traditional marriages?"
(Form A - 513 adults, margin of error ± 5 percent)
40 percent Should
56 percent Should Not
4 percent Unsure
earlier poll - May 10-13, 2007
46 percent Should
53 percent Should Not
1 percent Unsure
earlier poll - May 8-11, 2006
42 percent Should
56 percent Should Not
2 percent Unsure
"Would you favor or oppose a constitutional amendment that
would define marriage as being between a man and a woman,
thus barring marriages between gay or lesbian couples?"
(Form B - 504 adults, margin of error ± 5 percent)
49 percent Favor
48 percent Oppose
3 percent Unsure
earlier poll - May 8-11, 2006
50 percent Favor
47 percent Oppose
3 percent Unsure
earlier poll - April 29-May 1, 2005
53 percent Favor
44 percent Oppose
3 percent Unsure
earlier poll - March 18-20, 2005
57 percent Favor
37 percent Oppose
6 percent Unsure
earlier poll - July 19-21, 2004
48 percent Favor
46 percent Oppose
6 percent Unsure
earlier poll - May 2-4, 2004
51 percent Favor
45 percent Oppose
4 percent Unsure
earlier poll - March 5-7, 2004
50 percent Favor
45 percent Oppose
5 percent Unsure
earlier poll - February 9-12, 2004
53 percent Favor
44 percent Oppose
3 percent Unsure
earlier poll - February 6-8, 2004
47 percent Favor
47 percent Oppose
6 percent Unsure
earlier poll - July 2003
50 percent Favor
45 percent Oppose
5 percent Unsure
"Thinking about how the gay marriage issue might affect your
vote for major offices, would you only vote for a candidate
who shares your views on gay marriage, consider a candidate's
position on gay marriage as just one of many important factors
when voting, or would you not see gay marriage as a major issue?"
16 percent Must Share Views
49 percent One of Many Factors
33 percent Not a Major Issue
2 percent Unsure
earlier poll - 5/2-4/04
16 percent Must Share Views
46 percent One of Many Factors
35 percent Not a Major Issue
3 percent Unsure
= Pew Research Center survey
Conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International
May 21-25, 2008
1,505 adults nationwide
Margin of error ± 3 percent
July 2006 survey conducted by SRBI
Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose
allowing gay and lesbian couples to enter into legal
agreements with each other that would give them many
of the same rights as married couples?"
51 percent Favor
41 percent Oppose
8 percent Unsure
earlier poll - July 6-19, 2006
54 percent Favor
42 percent Oppose
4 percent Unsure
earlier poll - July 13-17, 2005
53 percent Favor
40 percent Oppose
7 percent Unsure
earlier poll - August 5-10, 2004
48 percent Favor
45 percent Oppose
7 percent Unsure
earlier poll - July 2004
49 percent Favor
43 percent Oppose
8 percent Unsure
earlier poll - March 2004
49 percent Favor
44 percent Oppose
7 percent Unsure
earlier poll - October 2003
45 percent Favor
47 percent Oppose
8 percent Unsure
= Field Poll
Released May 28, 2008 in the San Francisco Chronicle
Telephone survey of 1,052 registered voters - polled May 17-26, 2008
Margin of error is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points
Should same-sex marriage should be legal in California?
51 percent support
42 percent oppose
Among 18-29 year-old voters: 68 percent support same-sex marriage
Among 65-and-older voters: 36 percent support same-sex marriage
Heavily Democratic urban areas:
55 percent of Los Angeles County support
68 percent of the Bay Area support
38 percent of the Central Valley support
41 percent of Southern California outside of Los Angeles support
55 percent of coastal voters support same-sex marriage
40 percent inland voters support same-sex marriage
85 percent of strong liberals support same-sex marriage
85 percent of strong conservatives oppose same-sex marriage
Protestants, who make up a third of the state's voters:
34 percent support
57 percent oppose
Catholics:
45 percent support
48 percent oppose
No religious preference:
81 percent support
12 percent oppose
Should the state constitution be changed to ban same-sex marriage?
51 percent oppose
43 percent support
A 2006 Field Poll showed that half the state’s
voters still disapproved of same-sex marriage.
Only 28 percent favored same-sex marriage in 1977,
when the Field Poll first asked that question.
CBS News Poll
May 30-June 3, 2008
1,038 adults nationwide. margin of error ± 4 (for all adults)
"Which comes closest to your view? Gay couples should be
allowed to legally marry. OR, Gay couples should be allowed
to form civil unions but not legally marry. OR, There should
be no legal recognition of a gay couple's relationship."
All adults
30 percent Legal Marriage
28 percent Civil Unions
36 percent No Legal Recognition
6 percent Unsure
Men
24 percent Legal Marriage
30 percent Civil Unions
41 percent No Legal Recognition
- percent Unsure
Women
36 percent Legal Marriage
26 percent Civil Unions
32 percent No Legal Recognition
- percent Unsure
18-29 year olds
40 percent Legal Marriage
28 percent Civil Unions
29 percent No Legal Recognition
- percent Unsure
30-44 year olds
31percent Legal Marriage
29 percent Civil Unions
36 percent No Legal Recognition
- percent Unsure
45-64 year olds
30 percent Legal Marriage
28 percent Civil Unions
35 percent No Legal Recognition
- percent Unsure
65 and older
17 percent Legal Marriage
26 percent Civil Unions
48 percent No Legal Recognition
- percent Unsure
Republicans
14 percent Legal Marriage
32 percent Civil Unions
50 percent No Legal Recognition
4 percent Unsure
Democrats
36 percent Legal Marriage
27 percent Civil Unions
32 percent No Legal Recognition
5 percent Unsure
Independents
34 percent Legal Marriage
26 percent Civil Unions
31 percent No Legal Recognition
9 percent Unsure
earlier poll - all adults - March 7-11, 2007
28 percent Legal Marriage
32 percent Civil Unions
35 percent No Legal Recognition
5 percent Unsure
earlier poll - all adults - October 27-31, 2006
28 percent Legal Marriage
29 percent Civil Unions
38 percent No Legal Recognition
5 percent Unsure
earlier poll - all adults - June 2006
27 percent Legal Marriage
30 percent Civil Unions
40 percent No Legal Recognition
3 percent Unsure
earlier poll - all adults - February 24-28, 2005
23 percent Legal Marriage
34 percent Civil Unions
41 percent No Legal Recognition
2 percent Unsure
earlier poll - all adults - November 18-21, 2004
21 percent Legal Marriage
32 percent Civil Unions
44 percent No Legal Recognition
3 percent Unsure
earlier poll - all adults - July 11-15, 2004
28 percent Legal Marriage
31 percent Civil Unions
38 percent No Legal Recognition
3 percent Unsure
earlier poll - all adults - May 20-23, 2004
28 percent Legal Marriage
29 percent Civil Unions
40 percent No Legal Recognition
3 percent Unsure
earlier poll - all adults - March 10-14, 2004
22 percent Legal Marriage
33 percent Civil Unions
40 percent No Legal Recognition
5 percent Unsure
= Newsweek Poll
Conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International
June 18-19, 2008
896 registered voters nationwide
Margin of error ± 4 percent (for all registered voters)
There has been much talk recently about whether states should give
gay and lesbian couples the legal right to marry. Which of the
following comes CLOSEST to your position on this issue? Do you
support FULL marriage rights for same-sex couples, OR support civil
unions or partnerships for same-sex couples, BUT NOT full marriage
rights, OR do you oppose ANY legal recognition for same-sex couples?"
All registered voters
30 percent Full Marriage Rights
27 percent Civil Unions/Partnerships
37 percent No Legal Recognition
6 percent Unsure
Republicans
12 percent Full Marriage Rights
28 percent Civil Unions/Partnerships
55 percent No Legal Recognition
5 percent Unsure
Democrats
42 percent Full Marriage Rights
23 percent Civil Unions/Partnerships
28 percent No Legal Recognition
7 percent Unsure
Independents
30 percent Full Marriage Rights
33 percent Civil Unions/Partnerships
32 percent No Legal Recognition
5 percent Unsure
= Pew Research Center survey
Conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International
June 18-29, 2008
2,004 adults nationwide
Margin of error ± 2.5 percent
"Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose
allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally?"
40 percent Favor
52 percent Oppose
8 percent Unsure
earlier poll - May 21-25, 2008
38 percent Favor
49 percent Oppose
13 percent Unsure
= Quinnipiac University Poll
July 8-13, 2008
1,783 registered voters nationwide
margin of error ± 2.3 percent
"In general, do you support or oppose same-sex marriage?"
36 percent Support
55 percent Oppose
9 percent Unsure
"Which would you prefer? Do you think same-sex couples should
be allowed legally to marry, should be allowed legally to
form civil unions but not marry, or should not be allowed
to obtain legal recognition of their relationships?"
32 percent Legally Marry
33 percent Form Civil Unions
29 percent No Legal Recognition
6 percent Unsure
"Do you think states should give legal recognition to
same-sex marriages performed in other states or not?"
44 percent Should
50 percent Should Not
6 percent Unsure
Would you support or oppose a law in your state
that would ban same-sex marriage?"
45 percent Support
49 percent Oppose
6 percent Unsure
"Would you support or oppose amending the United
States Constitution to ban same-sex marriage?"
38 percent Support
53 percent Oppose
6 percent Unsure
earlier poll - November 13-19, 2006
43 percent Support
53 percent Oppose
4 percent Unsure
earlier poll - December 7-12, 2004
43 percent Support
53 percent Oppose
4 percent Unsure
earlier poll - July 18-22, 2004
39 percent Support
55 percent Oppose
6 percent Unsure
earlier poll - Maerch 16-22, 2004
41 percent Support
51 percent Oppose
8 percent Unsure
= Time Poll
Conducted by Abt SRBI
July 31-August 4, 2008
808 likely voters nationwide
Margin of error ± 3 perecent
"Should gay and lesbian couples be allowed to marry,
giving them full legal rights of married couples, or not?"
47 percent Should
47 percent Should Not
7 percent No Answer/Unsure
earlier poll - from June 18-25, 2008
42 percent Should
51 percent Should Not
7 percent No Answer/Unsure
"Do you favor or oppose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution
that would ban same-sex couples from getting married?"
35 percent Favor
58 percent Oppose
7 percent No Answer/Unsure
earlier poll - from June 18-25, 2008
36 percent Favor
58 percent Oppose
6 percent No Answer/Unsure
"What if a presidential candidate took a position on gay marriage
that was different from your own? Would you still consider voting
for him because of his position on other issues, or would you not
vote for him under any circumstances?"
72 percent Still Consider
22 percent Not Vote For
6 percent No Answer/Unsure
earlier poll - from June 18-25, 2008
72 percent Still Consider
22 percent Not Vote For
6 percent No Answer/Unsure
———— 2009 ————
= University of New Hampshire Survey Center
Surveyed 491 New Hampshire voters, April 13-22, 2009
Released April 28, 2009
marriage for lesbian and gay couples
55% support
39% oppose
support marriage
63% Independent voters
34% Republican voters
only 32% would be “bothered” if gay and lesbians could get a marriage license
= Washington Post-ABC News poll
Telephone sample of 1,1,072 adults from April 21-24, 2009
Included landline and cell-phone-only respondents and an oversample of
African-Americans (weighted to their correct share of the national population)
Margin of error ± 3 perecent
Released April 30, 2009
Do you think it should be legal or illegal for (gay and lesbian/homosexual)*
couples to get married?
[*In 2009 the terms "gay and lesbian" and "homosexual" were used.
In 2006 only the term "homosexual" was used.]
Legal NET Strongly legal
All 49 31
Democrat 62 43
Republican 22 14
Independent 52 30
Liberal 71 54
Moderate 54 31
Conservative 30 16
Lib. Democrat 71 57
Con. Republican 16 10
White Catholic 46 27
Wh. Ev/Prot 20 11
Education:
Non-college 45 28
College+ 57 38
18-29 66 45
30-64 48 29
65+ 28 16
Strong support for legal same-sex marriage has grown among Democrats
(from 26 percent in 2004 to 33 percent in 2006 to 43 percent now) and overall
support within the party has climbed nearly 20 points from 44 percent to 62 percent.
Among Republicans, about one-in-five support legal samesex marriages (22 percent)
with three-quarters opposed (74 percent), largely unchanged from 2006.
Three-in-10 conservatives said gay marriage should be legal, the highest
proportion in Post-ABC polling, up from 19 percent in 2006, and strong
opposition to the practice dipped from 72 percent in 2006 to 56 percent now.
Conservative Republicans (83 percent oppose, 73 percent strongly) and white
evangelical Protestants (75 percent oppose, 68 percent strongly)
continue to be staunch opponents.
In the political middle, majorities of independents and moderates now support
legal same-sex marriage (52 percent among independents and 54 percent of moderates)
with about three-in-10 in each group strongly in favor of legal same-sex marriages.
Although overall opposition is lower (about four-in-10 for each group), strong
opposition is at about the same level as strong support.
White Catholics have become more liberal on the issue. In June 2006, 33 percent of
white Catholics said it should be legal, 60 percent illegal, that has evened out
to 46 percent legal, 47 percent illegal in the new poll.
While support for same-sex marriage among seniors has grown somewhat
(15 percent said it should be legal in 2006 compared with 28 percent now)
six-in-10 remain strongly opposed to same-sex marriages. Among those under
age 30, two-thirds (66 percent) support it generally; 45 percent in this age
group strongly support the practice, 21 percent are strongly opposed.
In 2006, 28 percent of those without a college degree said gay marriage should be legal,
compared with 45 percent of those who had completed college, a 17-point divide.
Now, the gap stands at 12, with 45 percent of non-college adults in favor of legal marriage
with 57 percent of college grads in the same camp.
———— 2009 ————
= CNN Opinion Research Poll
Interviews with 1,009 adult Americans, including 935 registered voters
conducted by telephone by Opinion Research Corporation on August 6-10, 2010
Released August 11, 2010
margin of sampling error: +-3 percent
margin of sampling error for registered voters: +-3 percent
Do you think gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to get married
and have their marriage recognized by law as valid?
(ASKED OF HALF SAMPLE. RESULTS BASED ON 513 INTERVIEWS IN VERSION A -- sampling error: +-4.5 percent)
August 6-10, 2010 May 14-17, 2009
Yes 49% 45%
No 51% 54%
No opinion less than 1% 1%
Total Men Women White Non-White
Yes 49% 45% 52% 50% N/A
No 51% 55% 48% 50% N/A
No opinion * * * * N/A
Sampling Error ±4.5 ±6.0 ±6.0 ±5.0
Total 18-34 35-49 50-64 Under50 65+ 50 and Older
Yes 49% N/A N/A 39% 36% 58% 38%
No 51% N/A N/A 61% 64% 42% 62%
No opinion * N/A N/A * * * *
Sampling Error ±4.5 ±7.0 ±8.5 ±7.5 ±5.5
Total Under $50K $50K or more No College Attended College
Yes 49% 50% 47% 48% 49%
No 51% 49% 52% 51% 51%
No opinion * * * * *
Sampling Error ±4.5 ±6.5 ±6.5 ±7.0 ±5.5
Total Democrat Independent Republican Liberal Moderate Conservative
Yes 49% 56% 57% 27% N/A 55% 27%
No 51% 44% 43% 73% N/A 44% 73%
No opinion * * * 1% N/A 1% *
Sampling Error ±4.5 ±7.5 ±7.5 ±8.0 ±.0 ±6.5
Total Northeast Midwest South West Urban Suburban Rural
Yes 49% N/A N/A 43% N/A N/A 54% 36%
No 51% N/A N/A 57% N/A N/A 46% 64%
No opinion * N/A N/A * N/A N/A * *
Sampling Error ±4.5 ±7.5 ±6.5 ±7.5
* less than 1%
Do you think gays and lesbians should have a constitutional right to get married
and have their marriage recognized by law as valid?
(ASKED OF HALF SAMPLE. RESULTS BASED ON 496 INTERVIEWS IN VERSION B -- sampling error: ±4.5 percent)
Aug. 6-10, 2010
Yes 52%
No 46%
No opinion 2%
Total Men Women White Non-White
Yes 52% 37% 67% 53% N/A
No 46% 61% 32% 46% N/A
No opinion 2% 2% 1% 1% N/A
Sampling Error ±4.5 ±6.0 ±6.0 ±5.0
Total 18-34 35-49 50-64 Under50 65+ 50 and Older
Yes 52% N/A N/A 44% 36% 61% 41%
No 46% N/A N/A 52% 60% 39% 56%
No opinion 2% N/A N/A 4% 4% * 4%
Sampling Error ±4.5 ±8.0 ±7.5 ±7.5 ±5.5
Total Under $50K $50K or more No College Attended College
Yes 52% 54% 54% 45% 58%
No 46% 44% 46% 52% 41%
No opinion 2% 2% 1% 2% 1%
Sampling Error ±4.5 ±7.0 ±6.5 ±8.0 ±5.5
Total Democrat Independent Republican Liberal Moderate Conservative
Yes 52% 67% 55% 32% N/A 63% 30%
No 46% 32% 42% 66% N/A 36% 68%
No opinion 2% 1% 3% 1% N/A 1% 2%
Sampling Error ±4.5 ±8.0 ±7.0 ±8.0 ±7.5 ±6.5
Total Northeast Midwest South West Urban Suburban Rural
Yes 52% N/A N/A 42% N/A N/A 56% 51%
No 46% N/A N/A 57% N/A N/A 44% 48%
No opinion 2% N/A N/A 1% N/A N/A 1% 2%
Sampling Error ±4.5 ±7.5 ±6.5 ±7.0
* less than 1%
= The Field Poll
Survey run June 22–July 5, 2010
Interviewing was conducted by phone among a representative sample of 1,390 registered California voters.
To more closely examine the preferences of California’s growing ethnic voter populations,
the survey was conducted in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean and Vietnamese.
In addition, the main statewide sample was supplemented with additional interviews among
Chinese Americans, Korean Americans and Vietnamese Americans.
The maximum error based on the overall registered voter sample is ±2.8 percent (95% confidence level)
Approve/disapprove trend of California opinion about allowing same-sex couples to marry
and having regular marriage laws apply to them (among registered voters)
2010 2009 2008 2006 2004 2003 1997 1985 1977
Approve 51% 49% 51% 44% 44% 42% 38% 30% 28%
Disapprove 42% 44% 42% 50% 50% 50% 56% 62% 59%
No opinion 7% 7% 7% 6% 6% 8% 6% 8% 13%
Note: Surveys conducted prior to 2003 were conducted among all California adults, not just registered voters.
July 2010 - California voter preferences regarding allowing same-sex couples to marry
and have regular marriage laws apply to them – by subgroup (among registered voters)
Approve Disapprove No Opinion
Total – July 2010 51% 42% 7%
Party
Democrats 68% 27% 5%
Republicans 26% 66% 8%
Non-partisans/others 52% 38% 10%
Region
Los Angeles County 51% 38% 11%
San Diego/Orange 45% 51% 4%
Other Southern California 49% 43% 8%
Central Valley 42% 51% 7%
San Francisco Bay Area 63% 29% 8%
Other Northern California* 42% 51% 7%
*Small sample base
Age
18–29 68% 27% 5%
30–39 53% 38% 9%
40–49 47% 41% 12%
50–64 46% 48% 6%
65 or older 42% 51% 7%
Gender
Male 47% 45% 8%
Female 54% 39% 7%
Race/ethnicity
White non-Hispanic 53% 39% 8%
Latino 50% 41% 9%
African-American 38% 49% 13%
Chinese-American 41% 54% 5%
Korean-American 25% 70% 5%
Vietnamese-American 32% 64% 4%
Marital status
Married 46% 47% 7%
Separated/divorced 46% 44% 10%
Never married 67% 25% 8%
Religion
Protestant 34% 57% 9%
Catholic 47% 46% 7%
Other religion 75% 20% 5%
No religious preference 77% 16% 7%
Likely voters in November
(total) 50% 43% 7%
Brown supporters for Governor 74% 20% 6%
Whitman supporters for Governor 26% 66% 8%
Boxer supporters for US Senate 73% 21% 6%
Fiorina supporters for US Senate 26% 66% 8%
Three option trends of California voter opinion about what state laws should be
regarding same-sex relationships (among registered voters)
July 2010 March 2009 May 2008 February 2006
Allow to marry 44% 45% 45% 36%
Allow civil unions but not marriage 34% 34% 32% 33%
No legal recognition 19% 19% 19% 27%
No opinion 3% 2% 4% 4%
July 2010 - California voter preferences offering three options about what should
be done about same-sex marriage laws – by subgroup (among registered voters)
Allow Allow civil unions No legal
to marry not marriage recognition No opinion
Total – July 2010 44% 34% 19% 3%
Party
Democrats 59% 23% 15% 3%
Republicans 19% 49% 29% 3%
Non-partisans/others 46% 35% 16% 3%
Region
Los Angeles County 44% 30% 21% 5%
San Diego/Orange 38% 37% 21% 4%
Other Southern California 42% 32% 23% 3%
Central Valley 36% 37% 24% 3%
San Francisco Bay Area 53% 35% 11% 1%
Other Northern California* 49% 34% 10% 7%
*Small sample base
Age
18–29 65% 23% 9% 3%
30–39 46% 37% 16% 1%
40–49 42% 34% 21% 4%
50–64 34% 39% 23% 4%
65 or older 35% 35% 25% 5%
Gender
Male 42% 35% 20% 3%
Female 45% 33% 18% 4%
Race/ethnicity
White non-Hispanic 47% 35% 16% 2%
Latino 40% 32% 22% 6%
African-American 32% 33% 27% 8%
Chinese-American 33% 32% 31% 4%
Korean-American 24% 32% 43% 1%
Vietnamese-American 24% 19% 55% 2%
Likely voters in November
(total) 43% 35% 19% 3%
Brown supporters for Governor 65% 20% 10% 5%
Whitman supporters for Governor 21% 51% 27% 1%
Boxer supporters for US Senate 64% 21% 11% 4%
Fiorina supporters for US Senate 20% 51% 26% 3%
Marital status
Married 39% 36% 22% 3%
Separated/divorced 38% 34% 22% 6%
Never married 62% 27% 9% 2%
Religion
Protestant 27% 43% 24% 6%
Catholic 35% 39% 24% 2%
Other religion 69% 19% 10% 2%
No religious preference 75% 14% 8% 3%
|