Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research

Californians Disapprove of Same-Sex Marriage

March 23, 2006

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in California believe gay and lesbian couples should not be allowed to get married, according to a poll by Field. 51 per cent of respondents in the Golden State disapprove of a state law that would permit homosexuals to marry members of their own gender.

During the January 2004 State of the Union address, United States president George W. Bush said, "Activist judges (...) have begun redefining marriage by court order, without regard for the will of the people and their elected representatives."

In 2004, marriage certificates were issued to same-sex couples by local governments in the states of California, Oregon, New Mexico and New York. In May 2004, the state of Massachusetts allowed gay and lesbian partners to apply for marriage licenses, the first state-sanctioned homosexual weddings in the U.S.

Civil unions—currently available in the states of Vermont and Connecticut—give same-sex partners the same legal rights of married couples such as inheritance, insurance and hospital visiting privileges. A California law grants domestic partners the same legal rights of married couples, with the exception of filing joint income tax returns.

The Golden State is deeply divided on how state laws should deal with same-sex partnerships. 32 per cent of respondents support same-sex marriage, 32 per cent approve of the concept of civil unions, and 32 per cent think there should be no legal recognition for this type of relationships.

Over the past two years, 19 American states have enacted amendments to define marriage as the union between a man and a woman. Four more will hold votes on the matter this year.

Polling Data

Do you approve or disapprove of a state law that would permit homosexuals to marry members of their own sex and have regular marriage laws apply to them?

Approve

43%

Disapprove

51%

Not sure

6%

Which of the following most closely resembles your own view about state laws regarding the relationships of two people of the same sex?

Gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to legally marry

32%

Gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to form civil
unions or domestic partnerships, but not legally marry

32%

There should be no legal recognition of
a gay or lesbian couple's relationship

32%

Not sure

4%

Source: Field
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 500 California adults, conducted from Feb. 12 to Feb. 26, 2006. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.

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