The Quinnipiac University Polling Institute has released a new voter survey today on several key issues, including support for marriage equality. According to the institute, American voters support same-sex marriage 48% to 46%, a close margin but a huge leap from July 2008, when the school reported Americans were opposed to it 55% to 36%.
“It seems pretty clear that attitudes toward same-sex marriage in American society are changing rapidly. While the country remains split on the issue, supporters have come pretty far in the last four years,” said Quinnipiac’s Peter A. Brown. “Since voters 18 to 29 years old support same-sex marriage 63%–35%, once again we see it’s just a matter of time.”
A Gallup poll in May showed slightly better numbers, with 50% of respondents supporting same-sex marriage, 48% opposing and 2% undecided. Conducted between November 28 and December 3, the Quinnipiac survey has a 2.2% margin of error.
More than 1,900 registered voters were polled: Women, who opposed marriage equality 51%-40% four years ago, now support it 52% to 42%. The biggest leap was among men, who opposed gay marriage 61%-31% in 2008. Than number has shifted 23 points to 50%-43%. And while white Protestants are opposed 63 – 32 percent, white Catholics approve of gay marriage by a margin of 49% to 43%.
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Other survey results:
* American voters favor the legalization of marijuana, 51%-44%
* 57% believe undocumented immigrants should be allowed to stay in the U.S. and seek citizenship.
* A majority (53%) of those surveyed don’t believe climate change caused Hurricane Sandy
* 47% of respondents believe Gen. David Petraeus was right to resign as director of the CIA, as compared to – 41% who don’t.
* Regarding the attack on the U.S. embassy in Libya, 47% believe the President shared information as it became available, while 41% think Obama intentionally misled the public.
ncman
The numbers reported in this article do not add up. The post says the overall numbers favor marriage equality by 48% – 46%. But, then it goes on to report that women support marriage equality by 52% – 42% and men support marriage equality by 50% – 43%.
Can anyone tell me what category of responder is bringing the overall total in favor down to 48% when men support it at 50% and women support it at 52%. Who is supporting equality at a rate less than 50% that isn’t either a man or a woman?
Mooz
@ncman: “men support marriage equality by 50% – 43%”.
The ratio of men who opposed/favor gay marriage, went from 61/31 (diff:30) to 50/43 (diff:7). Difference shifted 23 points.
Therefore they must have polled 1478 women (769 in favor) and 422 men (181 in favor).
769+181=950 is 50% of 1,900.
ncman
@Mooz: I realize that now. The problem with the article is that it reports the women’s result as for/against, then turns around and reports the men’s result as against/for without specifically explaining which way they are reporting the results and even though they reported the before numbers as against/for for both women and men. I just assumed when they changed the women’s reporting to for/against, they did the same with the men’s new number. IN reality what they did was just report the larger number first no matter whether it was for or against and then not specifically tell you which way the results went.
Mooz
@ncman:
Had to read it 10 times and use pen and paper myself, before this article made sense.
What still worries me, is the fact that 1478 women and 422 men somehow represents the entire U.S. by a margin of 2.2%.
erasure25
I believe I was a part of this survey. They identified themselves as Quinnipiac and said my cell phone number was randomly pulled up and asked me these very same questions. Im on the west coast and the call took place Dec 3 if I remember correctly.
rextrek
when Inter-racial Marriage was passed by SCOTUS in 1967 – over 70% of Americans were Against it……heck i was just a 7yr old kid, and I remember hearing all the negative comments about it……luckily as the 70’s hit and us 8 kids entered our teens my conservative WW2 parents mellowed ( 8 kids will do that to ya)- and when I came out in 80, and my 1 sister in 83 – my parents were COOL….thier love Never wavered..and they loved us all Equally!