Should Marriage for Same Sex Couples be Legal?

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Typical of polls on the subject, a Fox News poll conducted after the Massachusetts ruling found that Americans oppose same-sex marriage by an overwhelming 66 to 25 percent margin. A majority of Americans also support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. A Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll in August 2003 reported that 58 percent of respondents favored amending the Constitution, with 34 percent opposed. A Zogby poll released in February 2004 found that, by a 51 to 43 percent margin, voters agreed that a constitutional amendment should be passed limiting marriage to a man and a woman. Similarly, a February 2004 Gallup poll found that 53 percent of responders favored a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, with 44 percent opposed. Homosexual marriage is a potent political issue with opponents ever more dedicated to preserving the traditional marriage. A follow-up Pew Research poll conducted in February 2004 found: “Gay marriage has surpassed other major social issues like abortion and gun control in its influence on voters. Four in ten voters say they would not vote for a candidate who disagrees with them on gay marriage, even in they agree with the candidate on most other issues.” The poll reported that “voters oppose gay marriage by more than two to one (65 percent to 28 percent), a margin that has remained generally steady since October.