PPP poll: Minnesotans dead even on marriage amendment, majority supports rights for gay couples
Wednesday, June 01, 2011 at 1:35 pm
- 23 Comments
A poll released by Public Policy Polling on Wednesday shows that Minnesotans are dead even on amending the Minnesota Constitution to ban same-sex mariage. PPP asked voters the same question that will be on the ballot in 2012, and 47 percent of respondents said they opposed the amendment. Forty-six percent said they approved, while 7 percent were unsure. The poll also found that a solid majority of Minnesotans support rights for same-sex couples.
In addition to support for the amendment, PPP also asked voters whether gay marriage should be legal in Minnesota. Minnesotans where split on the question, with 46 percent saying same-sex couples should be allowed to legally marry and 45 percent saying they should not.
When voters were given a series of options regarding the legal status of same-sex couples, the numbers changed a bit. Thirty-eight percent said gay couples should be allowed to marry, another 34 percent said that such couples should be allowed to form civil unions, and only 26 percent said that gay couples should have no relationship rights at all. Seventy-two percent of Minnesotans support either gay marriage or civil unions for same-sex couple.
The margin of error for the poll is 2.9 percent. The poll was conducted late last week.
“Minnesota voters are evenly split on gay marriage right now,” Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling, said in a press release accompanying the poll. “What’s interesting though is how fast public opinion is moving on this issue. It’s entirely conceivable that in another 17 months the state will have a clear majority supportive of same sex marriage. That’s the direction things are going in.”
Previous polls have been all over the map on the anti-gay marriage amendment.
In January, the Minnesota Family Council and the National Organization for Marriage — two groups that lobbied for the amendment and have formed a committee to push for its passage — commissioned a poll by Lawrence Research, whose owner assisted with the campaign to ban gay marriage in California. It found that 57 percent of respondents would vote for the amendment compared to 41 percent who would vote against it. In contrast, a Star Tribune poll two weeks ago found that 55 percent oppose the amendment while 39 percent favor it.
And last week, a SurveyUSA/KSTP poll found that a slim majority, 51 percent, would vote for the anti-gay marriage amendment compared to 40 percent who would vote against it.
Follow Andy Birkey on Twitter23 Comments
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 2:48 pm
Rights should not be subject to popular vote but defended by a vigilant citizenry. Now tax-exempt status for churches…
Praise Jebus, God hates the Constitution, Amen.
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 2:55 pm
More evidence.
Sexual orientation is not a matter of choice, it is primarily neurobiological at birth, Dr. Jerome Goldstein, Director of the San Francisco Clinical Research Center (USA)
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/226963.php
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 3:19 pm
“…only 26 percent said that gay couples should have no relationship rights at all.” This 26% represents the theocratic element in our midst, the Christian Taliban. It’s our moral duty to keep this reactionary and bigoted riff-raff from political power using every legal means at our disposal.
…
Wendy, thank you for the info.
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 3:33 pm
Amen to that Eric. These christo-fascists dont plan on stopping with taking away citizenship rights for just gays either. They have a similar plan for non-evangelicals, brown persons and insufficiently pius too. You know, whoever they determine isn’t a “real” christian in their eyes and cannot further their Tea-libangelical agenda of “making disciples of all nations” and fulfilling their 7 Mountain mandate.
Beware Minnesota. A ‘yes’ vote will turn Minnesota into a theocracy with crazy eyes at the helm. Scary.
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 3:37 pm
Pity they don’t care why we are gay, so any evidence that it is innate rather than choice won’t change their minds. The ability to ignore facts is why they can say that the T. Rex was a plant eater and lived same time as humans with a straight face. That ability is probably also something that is hard-wired into the brain at birth and they can no more evaluate facts intelligently than I can decide to be straight. ;-)
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 4:10 pm
Why someone is gay isn’t the point. While I’m personally convinced orientation is far more innate than anything else, its an irrelevant argument. In fact even if it WERE a choice, the law no just interest in the choices of consenting adults. If it’s a victimless crime, it’s not a crime.
Even the anti-marriage forces can’t show how married gays would affect straight married couples in any objective manner. They’ve got nothing.
And in a secular democracy, the phrase “Well I believe the Bible says ____ therefore everybody should obey” should frighten us all.
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 4:53 pm
Why is the USA almost the last country in the westernized world to grant gays rights as either CUs or marriage.
Ans- we are still fighting the civil war re the repub southern bible belt people. They hated blacks, they hated Jews. this generation now hates gays.
And oh yes – Pr. Obama – their worst nightmare come true.
And the catholic church of protecting life. One would think that Hiter, born and baptised catholic in very catholic Austria, would have been EXcommunicated, dead or alive, for his 55 million murders.
But instead in 2009 the German born Pope UNexcommunicates a Bishop Williamson who was kicked out of the church of England for denying the holocaust.
Argentina discovered that Williamson was living there and threw him out of the country. And that was just about the time that the gay marriage bill came into law in argentina.
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 5:22 pm
“It is difference of opinion that makes horse races”, Mark Twain
I’m going with the “right” horse, or would that be “white” horse.
Jeff Wilfahrt, Rosemount, MN
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 6:09 pm
We need to get a SIMPLE message out to the public..
“If your NOT GAY you WILL NOT be effected by this issue”
Period!!
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[...] Poll says we’re dead even (and Minn Indy compares recent polls) [...]
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[...] Full Story from Minnesota Independent [...]
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 8:23 pm
This amendment is just unnecessary, no matter what side you’re on. Marriage is already defined in the law. A constitutional amendment would just threaten giving same sex couples any rights. In Michigan they used their amendment to deny benefits for same sex couples. In Wisconsin, they used theirs to deny same sex couples even the right to visit each other in the hospital. There’s other ways to manage all of these issues without amending the constitution. This is just government building a jet engine to put out a candle.
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 10:49 pm
These sinful couples will never have the “right” to marry!! Mark my words…when put to a vote good Godly churchgoers will vote God’s way!!! Praise Jesus!
Comment posted June 2, 2011 @ 12:34 am
Whoa.. The peanuts are evolving into a life form.. They skipped the walking part and went straight into typing ..
@ Lamar
First.. If “Gawd” was alive in human form he would probably take you Good ole Churchgoers into the Church parking lot and whip your ASS!
Second.. If you are so secure with your “Hetero lifestyle” why would even care about this issue??
Comment posted June 2, 2011 @ 6:50 am
Yes, Lamar, churchgoers who are truly godly will vote to reject this mean-spirited marriage amendment that does absolutely nothing to protect marriage.
Comment posted June 2, 2011 @ 7:05 am
Lamar
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 10:49 pm
These sinful couples will never have the “right” to marry!! Mark my words…when put to a vote good Godly churchgoers will vote God’s way!!! Praise Jesus!
Hey Einstein…..Lamar…Gays & Lesbians CAN get and ARE MARRIED…..this won’t change a thing……will it make it harder for some to marry, sure…but it WON’T STOP any of them…….so, your FAKE HAteful Religious Crap can be Put MN on the wrong side of History or the Right side…..Gay & Lesbian MN Citizens will JUst GO and send spend thier Money in another state – IF MN, are Hateful,Bigoted and Spiteful….Marriage Equality IS COMING…you can put it off a bit, BUT You can’t escape it!!! Now..you can go stuff your buyBULL where the sun dont shine.
Comment posted June 2, 2011 @ 8:24 am
Zero percent of lesbian mothers abuse their kids. Zero, zilch, nada. That is even better than hardly any. The incidence of abuse of children is much lower in homosexual families than in Church going, God fearing families. I think we ought to outlaw Church goers from adopting. You know, to protect the children.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfmoms/detail?entry_id=76922
Comment posted June 2, 2011 @ 10:01 am
An if the Minnesota ballot question actually stated what it intended:
Gay marriage should be banned.
Couples should be required to ask total strangers throughout a state if they can marry.
What would polls show?
Comment posted June 2, 2011 @ 10:03 am
My bet is that the 5th and 14th Amendments to the US Constitution still mean something here in Minnesota, which this action clearly violates.
I also bet that when Minnesotans continue to learn more about this fundy dominionist cult trying to “make disciples of all nations” and destroy the Constitution, that they’ll reject it post haste.
Religion and homophobia is a choice, but you can change!!! Really you can.
Comment posted June 2, 2011 @ 2:41 pm
If religious groups want to rule the lives of everyone else, then religious groups need to be taxed like everyone else.
Get your sky daddy out of our lives!
Comment posted June 3, 2011 @ 5:57 am
Fair-minded Minnesotans need to GET INVOLVED and DO something if they wish to prevent this abuse of power by the Republican leadership and others who take away the rights of their fellow citizens with their votes.
Comment posted June 3, 2011 @ 8:21 am
Talk to your neighbors. Talk to your friends. Talk to everyone you can.
Let them know we will not continue to be treated as second class in this state.
Let them know we will not be happy, unmoved or sit passively to be not only treated as second class but mandated to second class status by our fellow Minnesotans.
What will that feel like?
Comment posted June 3, 2011 @ 9:12 am
Lamar,
You god delusional poor sap. You haven’t even read your bible!
Christ was GAY. All four gospels record he had 12 boyfriends.
The truth will set you free. There is no dog.
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