All Posts Tagged With: "Californians"
Californians Oppose Constitutional Ban on Homosexual Marriage
Issue Splits Religious, Secular, and Political Parties
Fifty-one percent of likely voters said they oppose Proposition 8 a Constitutional amendment to ban Homosexual marriage that California’s Supreme Court has cleared for the November 4th ballot; 42 percent support it; and 7 percent are undecided.
Voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 22, the statute that banned gay marriage in 2000 that the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional in May.
The new Field poll suggest a “reluctance by Californians to tinker with the constitution.” Proposition 8 would enshrine in the state constitution that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.
63% or Democrats and 66% of nonpartisan voters oppose it while 68% of Republicans support the ban. 56% of protestants favor the ban; Catholics are split; other religions and the secular oppose the ban by 60 and 75% respectively.
Evangelicals support the ban by 66%. Opposition is highest in San Francisco at 67%, and lowest in the Central Valley at 39%. Coastal and inland counties are almost exactly contrary with 56% on the coast opposing the ban and 54% of inlanders supporting it. 45% of men but just 40% of women say they will vote for a ban. 672 likely California voters were interviewd by telephone in mid July. The results have a 3.9% margin for error.
Californians Favor Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
Fifty-four percent of Californians support amending the state constitution to ban marriage between homosexuals while 35% are against it. Ten percent are not sure including 12% of men and 9% of women according to an poll conducted for the LA Times and KTLA an LA radio station. Women favor the change by 55%.
This fairly well reflects national sentiments on the issue as reflected in a May 8-10 Gallup poll that found 56% oppose same sex marriage and 40% support it. On the issue of amending the US Constitution. An October 2007 CNN poll found the same 56% - 40% split nationwide. A 2006 Quinnipiac University Poll found 52% to 40% split.
The matter is pungent in California following its Supreme Court decision overturning a statewide vote to ban it, and another vote steamrolling toward the November 2008 ballot.