the public opinion landscape - same-sex marriage
TRANSCRIPT
Public Opinion Landscape: Same-Sex Marriage June 2013
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Information Flow About Charter Schools LATEST MEASURES OF SUPPORT FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE; SUPPORT VARIES BY QUESTION WORDING
Should Should not Unsure
55% 44% 2%
CNN/ORC: 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?
June 11-13, 2013
Gallup: 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?
May 2-7, 2013
NBC/WSJ: 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?
April 5-8, 2013
Strongly Favor
Somewhat Favor
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
Not Sure
38% 15% 10% 32% 5%
53% (FAVOR) 42% (OPPOSE)
ABC News/Washington Post: Overall, do you support or oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally?
June 5-9, 2013
Support Oppose Unsure
57% 40% 3%
Should Should not Unsure
53% 45% 3%
SUPPORT FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE SEES 13% INCREASE SINCE 2008
Source: Gallup Historical Data
Just three years ago, support for gay marriage was 44%. The current 53% level of support is essentially double the 27% in Gallup's initial measurement on gay marriage, in 1996.
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POLITICALLY, DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS, AND LIBERALS ALL SHOW INCREASING SUPPORT FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE OVER TIME
Source: Gallup Historical Data
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YOUNG AMERICANS ARE MORE LIKELY THAN OLDER AMERICANS TO FAVOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Source: Gallup Historical Data
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YET, AMERICANS NOT CONVINCED OF SOCIETAL BENEFIT OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Source: Gallup Poll, May 2-7, 2013
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Just your best guess, do you think that allowing two people of the same sex to legally marry will change society for the better, will it have no effect, or will it change our society for the worse?
19%
39% 40%
0%5%
10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%
Better Worse No effect
GREATER NUMBER OF AMERICANS KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS GAY OR LESBIAN THAN DID TEN YEARS AGO
Do you have a work colleague, close friend, or relative who is gay or lesbian?
Source: CBS News Poll, March 20 - 24, 2013
Don’t know Don’t know 2003 2013
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No
55%
Yes 44%
No
37% Yes
61%
+15
KNOWING SOMEONE WHO IS GAY OR LESBIAN MAKES ONE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO SUPPORT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Do you think it should be legal or not legal for same-sex couples to marry?
Note: “DON’T KNOW” results not shown.
66%
34%
29%
56%
Legal Not legal
Do not have a gay/lesbian colleague, friend, or relative
Have a gay/lesbian colleague, friend, or relative
Source: CBS News Poll, March 20 - 24, 2013
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MORE NOW THINK LEGALLY RECOGNIZED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS INEVITABLE THAN IN 2004
59%
31%
10%
72%
21%
7%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Inevitable Not inevitable Don't know/refused
20042013
Regardless of your opinion about same-sex marriage, do you think legal recognition of it is inevitable or not?
Source: Pew Research Center, May 1-5, 2013
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MAJORITY OF AMERICANS THINK FEDERAL GOV’T SHOULD LEGALLY RECOGNIZE SAME-SEX MARRIAGES PERFORMED IN STATES THAT ALLOW THEM
Source: CNN/ORC Poll, June 11-13, 2013
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As you may know, several states legally recognize marriages between gay or lesbian couples. Regardless of how you feel about the laws in those states, do you think the federal government should or should not legally recognize the same-sex marriages that have been performed in states that allow them?
39%
60%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Should not
Should
Note: “Unsure” results not shown.
NEARLY TWO-IN-THREE SUPPORT GIVING SAME-SEX COUPLES FEDERAL BENEFITS
Source: ABC News/Washington Post , June 5-9, 2013
Do you support or oppose giving same-sex couples federal benefits?
Note: “Don’t Know” results not shown.
Support
Oppose63%
34%
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BUT AMERICANS ARE DIVIDED ON FEDERAL STANDARD DEFINING MARRIAGE
If there were a federal standard defining marriage across the country, would you prefer it include same-sex marriage in the definition of marriage or define marriage as between one man and one woman?
48% One man,
One woman
47% Include
Same-Sex Marriage
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Source: NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll, April 5-8, 2013
Note: “Unsure” results not shown.
MAJORITY OF AMERICANS THINK LEGALITY OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE SHOULD BE DECIDED ON THE BASIS OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
Source: Quinnipiac University Poll, April 25-29, 2013
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Do you think each state should make its own law on whether same-sex marriage is legal or illegal there, or do you think this should be decided for all states on the basis of the U.S. Constitution?
Note: “Unsure” results not shown.
57% U.S. Constitution
36% State Laws
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GPG Research
GPG has a full-scale internal research team offering the full complement of qualitative and quantitative public opinion research services. We use research to inform message development and communication strategy, as well as to help clients assess and monitor critical issues and track the effectiveness of strategic communication campaigns.
GPG has a deep experience conducting research about complex economic and political topics with diverse audiences. We go beyond the standard Q&A, using innovative, projective techniques to uncover key insights. The result is actionable research that helps shape our clients’ messaging and strategy.
For more information about this presentation or to find out more about GPG’s research capabilities contact:
Jason Boxt ([email protected])