POLL: Same-Sex Marriage Divides New York Views
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. Last May, 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 only in the state of Vermont—give same-sex partners the same legal rights of married couples such as inheritance, insurance and hospital visiting privileges. 72 per cent of respondents in New York support this concept, while 25 per cent disagree.
A California law grants domestic partners the same legal rights of married couples, with the exception of filing joint income tax returns. Connecticut legislators are currently reviewing a bill that would provide many of the same rights of married couples to gay and lesbian partners.
Polling Data
Do you support or oppose allowing same-sex couples to marry, giving them the same legal rights are other married couples?
Strongly support 22%
Somewhat support 18%
Somewhat oppose 10%
Strongly oppose 31%
Undecided 7%
Do you support or oppose allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions or domestic partnerships that are not marriages but would give similar legal protections in such areas as inheritance, taxes, health insurance and hospital visits?
Strongly support 45%
Somewhat support 27%
Somewhat oppose 5%
Strongly oppose 20%
Undecided 3%
Source: Global Strategy Group / Empire State Pride Agenda
Methodology: Telephone interviews to 600 New York adults, conducted in March 2005. Margin of error is 4 per cent.
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on Saturday, April 09, 2005 at 12:54 PM.
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