New Poll Shows Support for Same-Sex Marriage
Continues to Grow in California

Conducted by Decision Research for Californians for Civil Marriage

45% of Voters Support Same-Sex Marriage
75% of Voters See Same-Sex Marriage as Inevitable

Continuing a five-year trend, a new public opinion poll of registered voters in California shows that 45% of Californians support the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples. Opposition to equal marriage rights has fallen to 49%, the lowest level in history and the first time opposition has been below 50%.

The poll, conducted by Decision Research, went on to show an overwhelming majority (75%) believe that same-sex marriage will become legal in their lifetime; 72% of those surveyed view marriage as a “fundamental civil right.” The poll also found that as voters are educated about the issue through the questions raised in the survey, a majority of voters support the freedom to marry for gays and lesbians by a margin of 51% to 46%.

“As gays and lesbians become more visible and more accepted in our society, whether through cultural experiences such as television programs and news articles or through personal experience with friends and family members coming out, more Californians have been exposed to the unjustness of denying gays and lesbians the freedom to marry,” said Mike Marshall, Executive Director of Californians for Civil Marriage. “It’s only a matter of time before a majority of Californians support our fundamental right to decide for ourselves who we can marry.”

“It’s clear that education is the key to building support for a change in the marriage laws. As voters learn about how the existing law harms same-sex couples, they quickly change their minds ” said Dr. Robert Meadow of Decision Research.

The poll of 500 California registered voters was conducted for Californians for Civil Marriage, a statewide public education campaign designed to build voter support for the freedom to marry movement.