Civil Rights

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Law and Civil Rights ► Same-sex marriage, gay rights ► Civil liberties, tort reform . . .	See also: Supreme Court \| Crime \| Race/Ethnicity \| War on Terrorism

Polls listed chronologically.

Same-Sex Marriage, Gay Rights

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. Feb. 2-3, 2010. N=900 registered voters nationwide. MoE ą 3 (for all registered voters).
					.
"Do you favor or oppose allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military?"
					.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	ALL	61	30	9
	Democrats	82	15	3
	Republicans	44	46	10
	Independents	62	26	13

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R). Oct. 22-25, 2009. N=1,009 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.1.
						.
"Do you favor or oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples to enter into same-sex marriages?" If favor or oppose: "Would you say that you strongly favor/oppose, or just somewhat favor/oppose?"
							.
		Strongly Favor	Somewhat Favor	Somewhat Oppose	Strongly Oppose	Depends (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%	%
	10/22-25/09	26	15	9	40	3	7
	3/04	18	12	10	51	3	5

AP-National Constitution Center Poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media. Sept. 3-8, 2009. N=1,001 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.1.
						.
"Should couples of the same sex be entitled to the same government benefits as married couples of the opposite sex, or should the government distinguish between them?"
						.
		Entitled to the Same	Distinguish Between	Unsure	Refused
		%	%	%	%
	9/3-8/09	54	42	4	1
	8/22-29/08	51	43	4	1
						.
"Should state governments give legal recognition to marriages between couples of the same sex?"
						.
		Yes	No	Unsure	Refused
		%	%	%	%
	9/3-8/09	46	52	2	1
						.
"Should the federal government give legal recognition to marriages between couples of the same sex?"
						.
		Yes	No	Unsure
		%	%	%
	9/3-8/09	46	53	1

Pew Research Center survey. Aug. 11-17, 2009. N=2,010 adults nationwide. MoE ą 2.5.
					.
"Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally?"
					.
		Strongly Favor/Favor	Oppose/ Strongly Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	8/11-17/09	39	53	8
	4/09	35	54	11
	8/08	39	52	9
	6/18-29/08	40	52	8
	5/21-25/08	38	49	13
					.
"Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples to enter into legal agreements with each other that would give them many of the same rights as married couples?"
					.
		Strongly Favor/Favor	Oppose/ Strongly Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	8/11-17/09	57	37	6
	4/09	53	39	8
	8/08	54	40	6
	5/21-25/08	51	41	8
	7/6-19/06	54	42	4
	7/13-17/05	53	40	7
	8/5-10/04	48	45	7
	7/04	49	43	8
	3/04	49	44	7
	10/03	45	47	8

CBS News/New York Times Poll. June 12-16, 2009. N=895 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3 (for all adults).
						.
"Which comes closest to your view? Gay couples should be allowed to legally marry. OR, Gay couples should be allowed to form civil unions but not legally marry. OR, There should be no legal recognition of a gay couple's relationship."
						.
		Legal Marriage	Civil Unions	No Legal Recognition	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/12-16/09	33	30	32	5
	Republicans	13	35	48	4
	Democrats	45	27	23	5
	Independents	35	30	32	3
						.
	4/22-26/09	42	25	28	5
	Republicans	18	31	49	2
	Democrats	52	22	21	5
	Independents	43	26	25	6
						.
	3/12-16/09	33	27	35	5
	Republicans	6	34	59	1
	Democrats	46	23	26	5
	Independents	37	26	30	7
						.
	5/30 - 6/3/08	30	28	36	6
	Republicans	14	32	50	4
	Democrats	36	27	32	5
	Independents	34	26	31	9
						.
	3/7-11/07	28	32	35	5
	10/27-31/06	28	29	38	5
	6/06	27	30	40	3
	2/24-28/05	23	34	41	2
	11/18-21/04	21	32	44	3
	7/11-15/04	28	31	38	3
	5/20-23/04	28	29	40	3
	3/10-14/04	22	33	40	5

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. May 14-17, 2009. N=1,010 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
					.
"Do you think gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to get married and have their marriage recognized by law as valid?"
					.
		Yes	No	Unsure
		%	%	%
	5/14-17/09	45	54	1

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. May 12-13, 2009. N=900 registered voters nationwide. MoE ą 3. LV = likely voters. Except where noted, results below are among registered voters.
						.
"Do you believe gays and lesbians should be allowed to get legally married, allowed a legal partnership similar to but not called marriage, or should there be no legal recognition given to gay and lesbian relationships?"
						.
		Legally Married	Legal Partnership	No Legal Recognition	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	5/12-13/09	33	33	29	5
	11/4-5/06 LV	30	30	32	7
	6/13-14/06	27	25	39	8
	5/04	25	26	40	9
	3/04	20	33	40	7
						.
"In general, do you think straight people in your community who have traditional religious values are tolerant of gays and lesbians and their beliefs, or not? . . ."
						.
		Very Tolerant	Somewhat Tolerant	Somewhat Intolerant	Very Intolerant	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	5/12-13/09	22	45	14	14	6
						.
"In general, do you think gays and lesbians in your community are tolerant of straight people who have traditional religious values and their beliefs, or not? . . ."
						.
		Very Tolerant	Somewhat Tolerant	Somewhat Intolerant	Very Intolerant	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	5/12-13/09	32	35	10	9	13

USA Today/Gallup Poll. May 7-10, 2009. N=1,015 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Do you think marriages between same-sex couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?"
						.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	5/7-10/09	40	57	4
	5/8-11/08	40	56	4
	5/10-13/07	46	53	1
	5/8-11/06	42	56	2
						.
"Just your best guess, do you think that allowing two people of the same sex to legally marry will change our society for the better, will it have no effect, or will it change our society for the worse?" Options rotated
						.
		Better	No Effect	Worse	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	5/7-10/09	13	36	48	2
	9/19-21/03	10	40	48	2
						.
"Do you favor or oppose allowing openly gay men and lesbian women to serve in the military?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	5/7-10/09	69	26	6
	11/19-21/04	63	32	5

Quinnipiac University Poll. April 21-27, 2009. N=2,041 registered voters nationwide. MoE ą 2.2.
						.
"Would you support or oppose a law in your state that would allow same-sex couples to get married?"
						.
		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	38	55	7
						.
"Would you support or oppose a law in your state that would allow civil unions for same-sex couples?"
						.
		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	57	38	5
						.
"Do you think same-sex couples should be allowed legally to marry, should be allowed legally to form civil unions but not marry, or should not be allowed to obtain legal recognition of their relationships?"
						.
		Legally Marry	Form Civil Unions	No Legal Recognition	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	33	26	34	6
	7/8-13/08	32	33	29	6
						.
"Under current federal law states can refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. Do you think this law should remain in existence or not?"
						.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	50	44	6
						.
"Under current federal law spouses in same-sex marriages are denied eligibility for federal benefits. Do you think this law should remain in existence or not?"
						.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	39	54	7
						.
"Some people say that same-sex marriage is a threat to traditional marriage between a man and woman. Do you agree or disagree?"
						.
		Agree	Disagree	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	39	58	3
						.
"Some people say that not allowing same-sex couples to get married is discrimination. Do you agree or disagree?"
						.
		Agree	Disagree	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	45	51	3
						.
"Who do you think should decide whether same-sex couples should be allowed to get married: your state legislature or your state courts?"
						.
		Legislature	Courts	Both (vol.)	Neither (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	43	25	5	16	12
						.
"Do you support or oppose allowing same-sex couples to adopt children?"
						.
		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	53	40	6
						.
"Federal law currently prohibits openly gay men and women from serving in the military. Do you think this law should be repealed or not?"
						.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	56	37	7
						.
"Some people say that not allowing openly gay men and women to serve in the military is discrimination. Do you agree or disagree?"
						.
		Agree	Disagree	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	60	36	4
						.
"Some people say that allowing openly gay men and women to serve in the military would be divisive for the troops and hurt their ability to fight effectively. Do you agree or disagree?"
						.
		Agree	Disagree	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	35	58	7
						.
"In your opinion, what causes someone to be gay or lesbian? Do you believe that people are born gay or lesbian, or that people become gay or lesbian because of the way they are brought up, or is it just the way that some people choose to live?"
						.
		Born	Brought Up	Choose	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	42	6	36	16
						.
"Do you have close friends or close relatives who are gay or lesbian?"
						.
		Yes	No	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	63	34	3
						.
"In general, do you think government is paying too much, too little, or about the right amount of attention to the needs of gays and lesbians?"
						.
		Too Much	Too Little	About Right	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	41	22	26	11
						.
"In general, do you think society is paying too much, too little, or about the right amount of attention to the needs of gays and lesbians?"
						.
		Too Much	Too Little	About Right	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	49	21	22	8
						.
"Some people say that ending discrimination against gay men and women is as necessary today as ending discrimination against blacks was in the 1960s. Do you agree or disagree?"
						.
		Agree	Disagree	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/21-27/09	44	50	6

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. April 23-26, 2009. Adults nationwide.
					.
"Do you think marriages between gay and lesbian couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?" N=1,005 (Form A), MoE ą 3
					.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/23-26/09	44	54	2
	12/19-21/08	44	55	1
	6/26-29/08	44	53	3
					.
"If a state's government does not legally recognize marriages between gays or lesbians, do you think that state should or should not allow gay and lesbian couples to form civil unions which would give them some of the legal rights of married couples?" N=1,005 (Form A), MoE ą 3
					.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/23-26/09	60	38	2
					.
"Do you favor or oppose the policy sometimes called 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in which the U.S. military does not ask new recruits whether they are gay or lesbian, but prohibits gays and lesbians from serving in the military if they reveal their sexual orientation?" N=1,014 (Form B), MoE ą 3
					.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/23-26/09	48	47	5
					.
"Do you happen to have a family member or close friend who is gay or lesbian?" N=2,019, MoE ą 2
					.
		Yes	No
		%	%
	4/23-26/09	49	51
	8/6-8/07	45	55

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. April 21-24, 2009. N=1,072 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
					.
"Do you think it should be legal or illegal for gay and lesbian / homosexual couples to get married?" 2009: "gay and lesbian" asked of half the sample; "homosexual" asked of half the sample. 2005: "gay and lesbian." Other years: "homosexual."
					.
		Legal	Illegal	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/21-24/09	49	46	5
	5/31 - 6/4/06	36	58	5
	8/25-28/05	39	58	3
	3/4-7/04	38	59	3
	2/18-22/04	39	55	6
	1/15-18/04	41	55	4
	9/03	37	55	7
					.
"If a gay or lesbian couple gets legally married in another state, do you think that marriage should or should not be recognized as legal in your state?"
					.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/21-24/09	53	43	4

CBS News Poll. March 12-16, 2009. N=1,142 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3 (for all adults).
						.
"Which comes closest to your view? Gay couples should be allowed to legally marry. OR, Gay couples should be allowed to form civil unions but not legally marry. OR, There should be no legal recognition of a gay couple's relationship."
						.
		Legal Marriage	Civil Unions	No Legal Recognition	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	3/12-16/09	33	27	35	5
	Republicans	6	34	59	1
	Democrats	46	23	26	5
	Independents	37	26	30	7
	18-45 years old	41	23	32
	45-64	29	32	35
	65 & older	18	27	47
	Men	27	28	42
	Women	38	26	30

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Dec. 19-21, 2008. N=1,013 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
					.
"Do you think marriages between gay and lesbian couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?"
					.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	12/19-21/08	44	55	1
					.
	"Do you think marriages between gay and lesbian couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?" If yes: "Do you think gays and lesbians do or do not have a constitutional right to get married and have their marriage recognized by law as valid?"
					.
		Valid -- Constitutional Right	Valid -- No Constitutional Right	Should Not Be Recognized As Valid	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	12/19-21/08	39	5	55	1
					.
"Do you think people who are openly gay or homosexual should or should not be allowed to serve in the U.S. military?"
					.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	12/19-21/08	81	17	1
	5/4-6/07	79	18	3

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Dec. 3-4, 2008. N=1,006 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.7.
						.
"Now I have a few questions about the situation for gay men and women in this country and the issue of gay rights. Do you think there should or should NOT be [see below]?"
						.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
						.
	"Legally-sanctioned gay and lesbian unions or partnerships"
	12/3-4/08	55	36	9
						.
	"Legally-sanctioned gay and lesbian marriages"
	12/3-4/08	39	55	6
						.
	"Adoption rights for gays and lesbians so they can legally adopt children"
	12/3-4/08	53	39	8
						.
	"Inheritance rights for gay and lesbian domestic partners"
	12/3-4/08	74	20	6
						.
	"Social Security benefits for gay and lesbian domestic partners"
	12/3-4/08	67	27	6
						.
	"Health insurance and other employee benefits for gay and lesbian domestic partners"
	12/3-4/08	73	23	4
						.
	"Hospital visitation rights for gay and lesbian domestic partners"
	12/3-4/08	86	10	4
						.
	"Gays and lesbians serving openly in the military"
	12/3-4/08	66	29	5
						.
	"Equal rights for gays and lesbians in terms of job opportunities"
	12/3-4/08	87	10	3
						.
	"Equal rights for gays and lesbians in terms of housing"
	12/3-4/08	82	13	5
						.
"Thinking again about legal rights for gay and lesbian couples, which of the following comes CLOSEST to your position on this issue? Do you support FULL marriage rights for same-sex couples, OR support civil unions or partnerships for same-sex couples, BUT NOT full marriage rights, OR do you oppose ANY legal recognition for same-sex couples?"
						.
		Marriage Rights	Civil Unions/ Partnerships	No Legal Recognition	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	12/3-4/08	31	32	30	7
						.
(If support full marriage rights on preceding question: "Even though you told me you favor full marriage rights for same-sex couples, I need to ask everyone the following question. . . .") "Would you favor or oppose an amendment to the U.S. constitution that would BAN gay marriage IN ALL STATES?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	12/3-4/08	43	52	5
						.
"Gay marriage can also be an issue at the state level. Suppose YOUR STATE held an election where you could vote for or against an amendment to the state constitution that would ban gay marriage. Would you be more likely to vote 'yes' in favor of OR 'no' against a ban on gay marriage in your state?"
						.
		Yes, Favor Ban	No, Against Ban	Unsure
		%	%	%
	12/3-4/08	45	49	6
						.
"Now thinking about marriage more generally: Some people think of marriage mostly as a legal matter and others think of it mostly as a religious matter. Do you personally think of marriage mostly as a legal matter, or mostly as a religious matter?"
						.
		Mostly Legal	Mostly Religious	Both Equally (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	12/3-4/08	30	41	25	4
						.
"How much, if at all, do your religious beliefs determine your views on the issue of gay marriage? Are your religious beliefs very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not at all important in determining your views on gay marriage?"
						.
		Very Important	Somewhat Important	Not Too Important	Not at All Important	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/3-4/08	41	21	11	23	4
						.
"Suppose a gay or lesbian couple are legally married and have a child through assisted reproductive technology. If the couple gets divorced, how do you think the law should deal with disputes over child custody? Should the gay partner who is NOT the child's biological parent have custody rights, such as visitation and a role in making decisions about the child's upbringing, or not?"
						.
		Should Have Rights	Should Not Have Rights	Unsure
		%	%	%
	12/3-4/08	63	19	18

Time Poll conducted by Abt SRBI. July 31-Aug. 4, 2008. N=808 likely voters nationwide. MoE ą 3.
					.
"Should gay and lesbian couples be allowed to marry, giving them full legal rights of married couples, or not?"
					.
		Should	Should Not	No Answer/ Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/31 - 8/4/08	47	47	7
	6/18-25/08	42	51	7
					.
"Do you favor or oppose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would ban same-sex couples from getting married?"
					.
		Favor	Oppose	No Answer/ Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/31 - 8/4/08	35	58	7
	6/18-25/08	36	58	6
					.
"What if a presidential candidate took a position on gay marriage that was different from your own? Would you still consider voting for him because of his position on other issues, or would you not vote for him under any circumstances?"
					.
		Still Consider	Not Vote For	No Answer/ Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/31 - 8/4/08	72	22	6
	6/18-25/08	72	22	6

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. July 10-13, 2008. N=1,119 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3. Fieldwork by TNS.
					.
"Do you think homosexuals who do NOT publicly disclose their sexual orientation should be allowed to serve in the military or not?"
					.
		Should Be Allowed	Should Not Be	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/10-13/08	78	18	5
	1/01	75	22	3
	5/93	63	35	2
					.
"Do you think homosexuals who DO publicly disclose their sexual orientation should be allowed to serve in the military or not?"
					.
		Should Be Allowed	Should Not Be	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/10-13/08	75	22	3
	1/01	62	35	3
	5/93	44	55	2

Quinnipiac University Poll. July 8-13, 2008. N=1,783 registered voters nationwide. MoE ą 2.3.
					.
"In general, do you support or oppose same-sex marriage?"
					.
		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/8-13/08	36	55	9
					.
"Do you think states should give legal recognition to same-sex marriages performed in other states or not?"
					.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/8-13/08	44	50	6
					.
"Would you support or oppose a law in your state that would ban same-sex marriage?"
					.
		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/8-13/08	45	49	6
					.
"Would you support or oppose amending the United States Constitution to ban same-sex marriage?"
					.
		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/8-13/08	38	56	6
	11/13-19/06	43	53	4
	12/7-12/04	43	53	4
	7/18-22/04	39	55	6
	3/16-22/04	41	51	8

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. June 18-19, 2008. N=896 registered voters nationwide. MoE ą 4 (for all registered voters).
						.
"There has been much talk recently about whether states should give gay and lesbian couples the legal right to marry. Which of the following comes CLOSEST to your position on this issue? Do you support FULL marriage rights for same-sex couples, OR support civil unions or partnerships for same-sex couples, BUT NOT full marriage rights, OR do you oppose ANY legal recognition for same-sex couples?"
						.
		Full Marriage Rights	Civil Unions/ Partnerships	No Legal Recognition	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	ALL reg. voters	30	27	37	6
	Republicans	12	28	55	5
	Democrats	42	23	28	7
	Independents	30	33	32	5

Gallup Poll. May 8-11, 2008. N=1,017 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3 (for all adults).
						.
"As you may know, there has been considerable discussion in the news regarding the rights of homosexual men and women. In general, do you think homosexuals should or should not have equal rights in terms of job opportunities?"
						.
		Should	Should Not	Depends (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	5/8-11/08	89	8	1	1
	5/10-13/07	89	8	1	2
	5/8-11/06	89	9	1	1
	6/17-20/77	56	33	-	11
						.
"Do you feel that homosexuality should be considered an acceptable alternative lifestyle or not?"
						.
		Acceptable	Not Acceptable	Unsure
		%	%	%
	5/8-11/08	57	40	3
	9/7-8/07	48	46	6
	5/10-13/07	57	39	3
	5/8-11/06	54	41	4
	5/2-5/05	51	45	4
	5/2-4/04	54	42	4
	6/25-28/82	34	51	15
						.
"Do you think marriages between same-sex couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?" N=513, MoE ą 5 (Form A)
						.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	5/8-11/08	40	56	4
	5/10-13/07	46	53	1
	5/8-11/06	42	56	2
						.
"Would you favor or oppose a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as being between a man and a woman, thus barring marriages between gay or lesbian couples?" N=504, MoE ą 5 (Form B)
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	5/8-11/08	49	48	3
	5/8-11/06	50	47	3
	4/29 - 5/1/05	53	44	3
	3/18-20/05	57	37	6
	7/19-21/04	48	46	6
	5/2-4/04	51	45	4
	3/5-7/04	50	45	5
	2/9-12/04	53	44	3
	2/6-8/04	47	47	6
	7/03	50	45	5
						.
"Thinking about how the gay marriage issue might affect your vote for major offices, would you only vote for a candidate who shares your views on gay marriage, consider a candidate's position on gay marriage as just one of many important factors when voting, or would you not see gay marriage as a major issue?" Options rotated
						.
		Must Share Views	One of Many Factors	Not a Major Issue	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	5/8-11/08	16	49	33	2
	5/2-4/04	16	46	35	3

ABC News/Facebook poll. Dec. 16-19, 2007. N=1,142 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3. Fieldwork by TNS.
					.
"Do you think homosexual couples should or should not be allowed to form legally recognized civil unions, giving them the legal rights of married couples in areas such as health insurance, inheritance and pension coverage?"
					.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	12/16-19/07	54	43	4
	5/31 - 6/4/06	45	48	7
	3/4-7/04	51	46	3
	2/18-22/04	45	48	7
	1/15-18/04	46	51	4
	9/03	40	51	9

Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll. Oct. 19-22, 2007. N=1,039 registered voters nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Which of the following statements comes closest to your view? Same-sex couples should be allowed to legally marry. OR, Same-sex couples should be allowed to legally form civil unions, but not marry. OR, Same -sex couples should not be allowed to either marry or form civil unions."
						.
		Marry	Form Civil Unions	Neither	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	10/19-22/07	30	26	38	6

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Oct. 12-14, 2007. N=1,212 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
					.
"Do you think marriages between homosexuals should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?"
					.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	10/12-14/07	40	56	3
	8/6-8/07	40	57	3

USA Today/Gallup Poll. Sept. 7-8, 2007. N=1,028 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
					.
"Do you think that homosexual couples should be legally permitted to adopt children?"
					.
		Yes	No	Unsure
		%	%	%
	9/7-8/07	46	50	4

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Aug. 6-8, 2007. N=1,029 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
					.
"Do you favor or oppose the plan in which the U.S. military does not ask new recruits whether they are homosexual, but would still prohibit homosexuals from serving if they reveal their sexual orientation?"
					.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	8/6-8/07	38	57	6

Gallup Poll. May 10-13, 2007. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
					.
"Now, thinking about what have been called 'hate crimes' -- those crimes committed because the criminal hates the group of people to which the victim belongs. As you may know, federal law currently allows prosecution of hate crimes committed on the basis of the victim's race, color, religion or national origin. Do you favor or oppose these laws?"
					.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	5/10-13/07	78	18	4
					.
"There is a proposal to expand federal hate crime laws to include crimes committed on the basis of the victim's gender, sexual orientation or gender identity. Would you favor or oppose expanding the federal hate crime laws in this way?"
					.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	5/10-13/07	68	27	5

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. May 4-6, 2007. N=1,028 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
					.
"Which of the following arrangements between gay or lesbian couples do you think should be recognized as legally valid: same-sex marriages, civil unions but not same-sex marriages, or neither same-sex marriages nor civil unions?"
					.
		Same-Sex Marriages	Civil Unions	Neither	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	5/4-6/07	24	27	43	6
	10/27-29/06	24	26	45	5
					.
"Do you think people who are openly gay or homosexual should or should not be allowed to serve in the U.S. military?"
					.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	5/4-6/07	79	18	3
					.
"Do you think gay or lesbian couples should or should not have the legal right to adopt a child?"
					.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	5/4-6/07	57	40	3

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. March 14-15, 2007. N=1,001 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Do you think gays and lesbians should or should NOT be able to serve openly in the military?"
						.
		Should	Should Not	Unsure	.	.
		%	%	%	.	.
	3/14-15/07	63	28	9	.	.
						.
"There has been much talk recently about whether gays and lesbians should have the legal right to marry someone of the same sex. Which of the following comes closest to your position on this issue? Do you support FULL marriage rights for same-sex couples, support civil unions or partnerships for same-sex couples BUT NOT full marriage rights, or do you oppose ANY legal recognition for same-sex couples?"
						.
		Marriage Rights	Civil Unions	No Legal Recognition	Unsure	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	3/14-15/07	26	24	44	6	.
						.
"We're interested in whether certain information about a presidential candidate would cause you to vote against the candidate, regardless of other factors. What if you found out that the candidate was a strong supporter of full marriage rights for same-sex couples? Would that ALONE cause you to vote against the candidate?"
						.
		Yes	No	Unsure		.
		%	%	%		.
	3/14-15/07	38	59	3		.

Associated Press/AOL poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. Jan. 16-18, 2007. N=1,005 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.1.
					.
"Would you favor or oppose a law that would ban gay marriage, requiring that marriage should be between a man and a woman?"
					.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	1/16-18/07	51	45	4

Quinnipiac University Poll. Nov. 13-19, 2006. N=1,623 registered voters nationwide. MoE ą 2.4.
						.
"Would you support or oppose amending the United States Constitution to ban same-sex marriage?"
						.
		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	11/13-19/06	43	53	4
	12/7-12/04	43	53	4
	7/18-22/04	39	55	6
	3/16-22/04	41	51	8
						.
"The New Jersey Supreme Court recently ruled that homosexual couples are entitled to the same rights as heterosexual ones and that state legislators must rewrite New Jersey laws to make this happen. If you had to choose in your state, which would you prefer: allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions or allowing same-sex couples to get married?"
						.
		Civil Unions	Marriage	Neither (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	11/13-19/06	44	24	27	5

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Oct. 26-27, 2006. N=1,002 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3 (for all adults).
						.
"There has been much talk recently about whether gays and lesbians should have the legal right to marry someone of the same sex. Which of the following comes closest to your position on this issue? Do you support FULL marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples; do you support gay civil unions or partnerships, BUT NOT gay marriage; or, do you oppose ANY legal recognition for gay and lesbian couples?"
						.
		Full Marriage Rights	Civil Unions/ Partnerships	No Legal Recognition	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	ALL adults	24	26	40	10
	Republicans	9	27	58	6
	Democrats	34	23	33	10
	Independents	24	32	33	11
	Trend:
	5/13-14/04	28	23	43	6
	2/19-20/04	23	24	45	8

Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey conducted by Schulman, Ronca & Bucuvalas (SRBI). July 6-19, 2006. Adults nationwide. (June 2006 and earlier conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International.)
					.
"Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally?" N=2,003, MoE ą 2.5
					.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/6-19/06	35	56	9
	6/14-19/06	33	55	12
	3/06	39	51	10
	7/13-17/05	36	53	11
	12/1-16/04	32	61	7
	8/5-10/04	29	60	11
	7/04	32	56	12
	3/04	32	59	9
	2/04	30	63	7
	11/03	30	62	8
	10/03	30	58	12
					.
"And do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose allowing gays and lesbians to adopt children?" N=996, MoE ą 3.5 (Form 1)
					.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/6-19/06	42	52	6
					.
"Do you think the question of whether gay marriage should be legal is something that should be decided at the national level, or is it something that each state should decide for itself?" N=996, MoE ą 3.5 (Form 1)
					.
		National Level	Each State	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/6-19/06	48	46	6

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. June 13-14, 2006. N=900 registered voters nationwide. MoE ą 3.
						.
"Do you believe gays and lesbians should be allowed to get legally married, allowed a legal partnership similar to but not called marriage, or should there be no legal recognition given to gay and lesbian relationships?"
						.
		Legally Married	Legal Partnership	No Legal Recognition	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/13-14/06	27	25	39	8
	5/04	25	26	40	9
	3/04	20	33	40	7
						.
"Do you think the issue of whether gays and lesbians can legally marry should be decided at the state or federal level?"
						.
		State	Federal	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/13-14/06	48	38	13

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R). June 9-12, 2006. N=1,002 adults nationwide. Results below are among registered voters.
						.
"I'm going to read you some positions that someone running for Congress could take. For each one, please tell me whether you would be more likely to vote for a candidate for Congress who takes this position, less likely to vote for this candidate, or would it not make a difference to you either way? . . ."
						.
		More Likely	Less Likely	No Difference	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	"Favors adding an amendment to the Constitution that bans gay marriages"
	6/9-12/06	37	39	22	2

ABC News Poll. May 31-June 4, 2006. N=1,001 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.
					.
"Would you support amending the U.S. Constitution to make it against the law for homosexual couples to get married anywhere in the U.S., or should each state make its own laws on homosexual marriage?" Options rotated
					.
		Amend Constitution	State Laws	Unsure
		%	%	%
	5/31 - 6/4/06	42	51	7
					.
"If you agreed with a candidate for U.S. Congress on other issues, but not on the issue of same-sex marriage, could you still vote for him, or not?"
					.
		Could	Could Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	5/31 - 6/4/06	50	41	9