The new Quinnipiac University Poll released Thursday found a huge generational divide on the gay marriage issue with senior citizens playing a critical role in opposition to the concept.

According to the latest Quinnipiac Poll, state voters support same-sex civil union legislation by a 56-37 percent margin. However, those surveyed also oppose legalization of gay marriage, 53-42 percent and a key factor in that opposition appears to be age.

Nearly 80 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds in Connecticut think same sex couples should have the right to marry, while 76 percent of voters over age 65 who were surveyed oppose the idea, the poll found.

Douglas Schwartz, director of the polling operation, said the strong opinions of this state’s large elderly population on the issue are enough to tip the balance against same-sex marriage.

If the opinions of voters 65 and older are removed from the equation, that "eliminates the majority against gay marriage," Schwartz said. Among 18- to 64-year-olds, opinions about allowing people of the same sex to marry are almost equally divided, with 48 percent in favor and 46 percent opposed.

The poll conducted from March 29 to April 4 surveyed 1,541 Connecticut registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percent.

The poll was released the day after the state Senate overwhelmingly approved a same-sex civil union bill. The state House could vote on the measure as early next week and supporters of the legislation are confidently predicting victory.

However, Gov. M. Jodi Rell, a Republican, said again Thursday that she wants to see marriage defined in the civil union bill as only being between one man and one woman, a proposal Senate lawmakers rejected as unnecessary since such a definition is already in Connecticut law.

Critics of the legislation are counting on that concern as their best hope for defeating the bill.

"I do not know what bill ..the legislature will send me when all is said and done," Rell said when asked if she would veto a civil union bill that didn’t include the marriage definition she wants.

State House Minority Leader Robert M. Ward, R-North Branford, said he believes the civil union bill would win House approval with a marriage definition attached. "Without that amendment, I think it’s too close to call," said Ward, who added that he personally is supporting addition of a marriage definition but is "leaning toward supporting it either way."

State House Speaker James A. Amann, D-Milford, had hoped that Rell would make her position on a veto clearer to help undecided lawmakers make up their minds.

"A majority of my Democrats support the bill," said Amann, who is personally against same-sex civil unions. "But it’s those guys who are sitting on the fence out there saying, ‘Why do I want to put a (yes vote) up there if she’s going to veto it. I’d be safer voting (no).’ "

Amann said he still hopes to have a House vote on the issue by Wednesday but that a technical referral to another legislative committee could delay action by a week.

"Connecticut voters are more liberal than the rest of the nation on the issues of same-sex civil unions and gay marriage," Schwartz said.

This entry was posted on Friday, April 08, 2005 at 11:20 AM. Want to discuss? Leave a comment below.