Attitudes shift on abortion, same-sex marriage (Calif. Field Poll) [View All]

[Newsjock]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

... The poll showed that "the most significant changes" in Californians' social views in the last three decades has been their switch on allowing same-sex couples to marry, the poll showed.

In 1977, a Field Poll found that Californians opposed same-sex marriage, 62 to 31 percent; three decades later, the Field Poll shows they now support it, 49 to 44 percent.

... Public opinion on same-sex marriage breaks dramatically along party lines: Democrats in 1977, for example, were opposed to same-sex marriage by a 2-to-1 ratio. Today, they support the issue 2 to 1.

Independent voters were opposed to same-sex marriage in 1977 by a 5-to-3 ratio; today, they support it 5 to 3, the poll showed.

That's in contrast to Republicans, who today are actually "more opposed than they were 30 years ago" to same-sex marriage, the poll found. In 1977, GOP voters stood against it 65 to 30 percent; today, they are against it 68 to 23 percent.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/05/MNRO193QGM.DTL&tsp=1