March 23, 2004

Abstract: (CPOD) Mar. 23, 2004 - Pennsylvanians are not immediately open to the idea of modifying the United States Constitution to ban same-sex marriage, according to a poll by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. 50 per cent of respondents believe each state be allowed to make its own laws on same-sex marriage, while 38 per cent favour an amendment.

(CPOD) Mar. 23, 2004 - Pennsylvanians are not immediately open to the idea of modifying the United States Constitution to ban same-sex marriage, according to a poll by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. 50 per cent of respondents believe each state be allowed to make its own laws on same-sex marriage, while 38 per cent favour an amendment.

On Feb. 24, U.S. president George W. Bush asked the U.S. Congress to enact an amendment that would define marriage as the union between a man and a woman. In Pennsylvania, Republican leaders in the state House have cited confusion over how to strengthen existing bans on same-sex marriage as the reason to hold off a vote.

Marriage certificates have been issued to same-sex couples in the states of California, Oregon, New Mexico and New York. This past November, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the state's constitution must offer gay and lesbian partners the possibility of getting married.

Polling Data

Which comes closer to your view: The U.S. Constitution should be amended to make it illegal for same-sex couples to get married, or should each state be allowed to make its own laws on same-sex marriage?

Constitutional amendment	38%
Allow each state to make laws	50%
Don't know	12%

Source: Quinnipiac University Polling Institute
Methodology: Interviews to 1,022 registered Pennsylvania voters, conducted from Mar. 9 to Mar. 15, 2004. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.