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Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
Minnesotans Reject Marriage Amendment
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in the North Star State believe their constitution should not be modified to delineate wedlock, according to a poll by Decision Resources Ltd. for Equality Minnesota. 54 per cent of oppose an amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman.
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.
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.
An amendment seeking to ban same-sex marriage in Minnesota has not been approved by the state Senate. The proposed wording has been criticized by some groups, as it seeks to bar gay marriage "or its legal equivalent" in Minnesota. Some activists have said this would entail that civil unions could also be outlawed.
Polling Data
Would you support or oppose a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman?
Support | 40% |
Oppose | 54% |
Not sure | 6% |
Source: Decision Resources Ltd. / Equality Minnesota
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 625 registered Minnesota voters, conducted from Jan. 11 to Jan. 19, 2006. Margin of error is 4 per cent.