Poll: 52 Percent Support Maine Gay Marriage Law, But Opponents Are Gaining

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

A ballot measure to make same-sex marriage legal in Maine earns the support of more than half of voters, a new poll released Thursday shows, but the race appears to be tightening.

The latest survey from Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling (PPP) shows that 52 percent of likely voters approve of "Question 1" — an initiated measure that would overturn a 2009 ban and allow the state of Maine to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples — while 44 percent are opposed.

While LGBT advocates will be pleased that the measure eclipses 50 percent support, PPP's latest release shows a closer contest than previous polls have indicated. Polls in the summer showed Question 1 winning by roughly 20 points, and another PPP survey in March showed it up by 15 points.

“Our experience in polling gay marriage is that if people say they’re undecided it usually means they’re opposed to it,” said Dean Debnam, president of PPP, in the poll's release. “Despite the 8 point lead for passage this should be seen as a very close race.”

Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/poll-52-percent-support-maine-gay-marriage-law

[Dawson Leery]

1. Remember, the Catholic and Mormon Church's are financing the National Organization for Marriage.

[IfPalinisAnswerWatsQ]

3. George Carlin quote springs to mind

"They're against abortion and they're against homosexuals. Well who has less abortions than homosexuals?"

[IfPalinisAnswerWatsQ]

2. It is hard to imagine this not passing.

New England is the region of the country that is most favorably disposed to gay marriage, and if Obama wins Maine by 15 pts as expected, I think this measure should pass, albeit by a narrower marginto ban gay marriage.. Hard to imagine that many Mainers are going to vote for Obama while also voting against marriage equality.

[HERVEPA]

4. Do not underestimate the ability of voters to have disconnects

[LiberalFighter]

5. People need to understand that if they don't stand up against this

They may require everyone to marry in a church. Go through faith marriage counseling even if it is not their faith. Require children to be baptized.

[byeya]

6. If rural Maine is anywhere similar to rural North Carolina, then the opponents

will win with their hateful world view.

[davidthegnome]

7. One of the few times I've ever been asked my opinion

I've actually received a few calls from people taking surveys, inquiring as to whether I support gay marriage. I always answer strongly in the affirmative. So far, every call has been from a campaign supporting it. I'm encouraged by their efforts and by the information campaign going on right now - though it's somewhat less popular here in Aroostook County.

One thing I'll say about my fellow Mainers... they tend to be very down to earth people, in general, most of the people I know are also highly in favor of individual freedom. Generally, I suspect that if you asked even most of our republicans, they'd tell you that who a person wants to marry is their own business and that they should have the right to marry who they will.

I'll be living close to a local University where I go to school, so I'm really going to have an opportunity to get involved more involved in the campaign which is already doing great things and working hard there. I'm hoping that, after the embarrassment of electing that asshole LePage, we can start to make up for it by proving we're not all complete morons. No, there's a lot of great people in my state... LePage only actually won because the vote was very divided between three candidates.

We'll see, but I have faith in my state to do the right thing in this case.

[GreenTea]

8. Republicans as always are on the wrong oppressive side.