http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/10-21-2008/0004908438&EDATE=
<table width="775" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr width="775"><td>Marriage Referendum Leads 52% to 43% Among Likely California Voters
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Many "no voters" could change votes based on possible effects of 8's
failure
NEW HAVEN, Conn., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new poll of
California voters shows Proposition 8, a proposed constitutional amendment
that would reserve marriage for opposite-sex couples, has a 9 percentage
point lead among likely voters, 52% to 43%. The poll was conducted for the
Knights of Columbus by the Marist College Institute of Public Opinion
between September 28 and October 5, 2008.
The survey shows that Proposition 8 has majority support among men
(53%), women (51%), whites (51%), Latinos (57%), those who are married
(59%) and those age 45 and older (59%). Those opposed include likely voters
under age 45 (54% opposed) and those who are not married (54% opposed).
The poll also shows that Proposition 8 leads in every region of
California except the Bay Area, where 58% are opposed.
52% of likely California voters believe the state Supreme Court was
wrong to have overturned the 2000 referendum in which voters approved
reserving marriage for opposite-sex couples, and 72% believe the decision
should be left to the voters.
Poll respondents were presented with several arguments and asked
whether each one would make them more or less likely to vote for
Proposition 8. A majority (58%) were more likely to favor Proposition 8
when reminded that if it passes, same-sex couples will still be able to
form civil unions in California. More than half of those describing
themselves as opponents of Proposition 8 said they were more likely to
shift from opposing to favoring the referendum because of this argument.
Approximately one third of those voting "no" on 8 - and a significant
number of undecided voters - would be more likely to vote yes if the
proposition's failure could compromise the tax status of religious schools
or if children in public schools would be taught that marriage was a
relationship "between any two adults."
Nearly half (49%) of likely voters believe that same-sex marriage
should not be law if legalizing it would place clergy at risk for lawsuits
or threatens the tax-exempt status of religious institutions. And 79% of
all likely voters believe that if Proposition 8 fails, clergy should not be
required to perform same-sex marriages if it violates their religious
convictions.
Full details of the poll results are available upon request and will be
posted at http://www.kofc.org at noon EDT today.
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