A Majority of Californians Approve of Gay Marriage?

In this May 15, 2008, file photo, Sharon Papo, left, and her partner Amber Weiss fill out paperwork as they apply for an appointment for a marriage license at the county clerks office at City Hall in San Francisco. In court papers submitted Thursday, May 22, 2008, a conservative legal group asked the California Supreme Court to stay its decision legalizing same-sex marriage until November, when voters are likely to encounter a ballot measure would amend the state’s constitution to ban gay marriage.

A new California Field Poll says a majority of Californians support Gay Marriage.

Signaling a generational shift in attitudes, a new Field Poll on Tuesday said California voters now support legal marriage between same-sex couples and oppose a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

By 51 to 42 percent, state voters believe gay couples have the right to marry, according to a May 17-26 poll of 1,052 registered voters.

However, the same poll revealed a California electorate that remains sharply divided over gay marriage – split by age, political affiliation, religion and the regions where they live.

The poll is here.

Key graphs:

• Reflecting stark differences in generational attitudes, 68 percent of voters between 18 and 29 years old said they favored allowing same-sex couples to marry. Fifty-eight percent of voters 30 to 39 and 51 percent of voters 40-49 favored gay marriage. That compared with 47 percent of voters 50-64 and 36 percent of those over 65 who supported the idea.

• Gay marriage was strongly opposed by inland California residents. Central Valley voters disapproved of same-sex marriage 55 to 38 percent.

• Support surged on the coast, with Bay Area voters supporting gay marriage by 68 to 24 percent, and Los Angeles County voters supporting it by 55 to 38 percent.

• While Democrats overwhelmingly supported gay marriage and Republicans overwhelmingly opposed it, there was also a significant religious split.

• Born-again Christians objected to gay marriage, 68 to 24 percent. Protestants were opposed, 57 to 34 percent. Catholics were nearly evenly split. Voters from other religious groups favored gay marriage, 61 to 33 percent. Eighty-one percent of people with no religious preferences supported gay marriage.

The campaign is on.

If there is a higher turnout of younger voters in the fall Presidential election, these poll results may withstand a challenge. Should Obama have California in the bag, they may stay home – as usual and the California Marriage Protection Act, a California State Constitutional amendment will pass.

However, the Catholic church has yet to weigh into the issue in a substantial way. IF the California Bishops make a pronouncement it could move some of the Catholic voters.

This poll may be a wake up call to the churches in California to become more politically involved this summer.

Stay tuned…..

Previous:

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