Gay Marriage

PPIC Poll: Proposition 8 Results Expose Deep Rifts Over Gay Marriage

Yes on prop 8 400

The post-mortems continue on California Proposition 8 that restored the traditional definition of marriage (one man and one woman) in the November election.

A post-election survey by the Public Policy Institute of California was released today.

In summary:

The survey, which polled 2,003 voters from November 5–16, finds these differences between Proposition 8 supporters and opponents:

  • Evangelical or born-again Christians (85%) were far more likely than others (42%) to vote yes.
  • Three in four Republicans (77%) voted yes, two in three Democrats (65%) voted no, and independents were more closely divided (52% yes, 48% no).
  • Supporters of Republican presidential candidate John McCain were far more likely than those who backed President-elect Barack Obama to vote yes (85% vs. 30%).
  • Latinos (61%) were more likely than whites (50%) to vote yes; and 57 percent of Latinos, Asians, and blacks combined voted yes. (Samples sizes for Asians and blacks are too small to report separately.)
  • Voters without a college degree (62%) were far more likely than college graduates (43%) to vote yes.
  • While most voters (65%) consider the outcome of Proposition 8 to be very important, the measure’s supporters (74%) are far more likely than those who voted no (59%) to view the outcome as very important.

Why are these poll numbers important?

It is likely that a measure legalizing gay marriage will return to the California ballot in June 2010.

Flap doubts that in a massive Democrat turn-out year that gay marriage proponents will be any more successful and, in fact, will be beaten at the polls by a greater margin.

Stay tuned…..


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