Survey Shows Majority of California Likely Voters Oppose Same-Sex Marriage

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Contact: Andrew Walther, Knights of Columbus, 818-522-2005, andrew.walther@kofc.org

NEW HAVEN, Conn., October 22 /Christian Newswire/ -- A survey of California likely voters conducted for the Knights of Columbus by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion between September 28 and October 5, 2008 revealed the following:

A majority (55%) of California likely voters believe marriage should defined as only between a man and a woman. This was independent of questions on Proposition 8.
Only 44% of California likely voters support legalizing same-sex marriage; 56% would prefer civil unions or no legal recognition of the relationship between gay and lesbian couples.
More likely voters oppose than support same-sex marriage in every geographic region of the state except the Bay Area, where 55% favor it.
Women are less likely to support same-sex marriage (41%) than men are (48%).
The majority of Latino likely voters (61%) believe marriage should be defined as only between a man and a woman.
A majority (52%) of likely California voters believe the court erred in its decision to redefine marriage.
More than three quarters (79%) of California likely voters do not believe that clergy should be required to perform same-sex marriages if it would conflict with their beliefs.
A majority of supporters of same-sex marriage and opponents of Proposition 8 (52% each) would be more willing to support the initiative when informed that civil unions would still be allowed. The same is true for 51% of likely voters who are undecided on Proposition 8.
One-third of those opposed to Proposition 8 and 36% would be more likely to vote for Proposition 8 if its failure meant that children in public schools would be taught that marriage is a "relationship between any two adults".
Nearly a quarter of same-sex marriage supporters (24%) and those who plan to vote No on Proposition 8 (23%) are more likely to vote for Prop 8 if its failure would result in lawsuits against clergy or could deny clergy opposed to same-sex marriage the right to perform traditional marriage ceremonies. This view is shared by 35% of likely voters who are undecided on 8.
25% of those who plan to vote against Proposition 8 and 26% of those who support same-sex marriage would be more likely to support the initiative if its failure meant that heterosexual couples would have to be legally married outside their church if their church wouldn't perform same-sex marriages. 38% of likely voters who are undecided on the initiative feel the same way.