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New Poll Shows Support for Proposition 8 Growing

A new poll shows support for California's Proposition 8 has grown in an 11-day period.


A new poll shows support for California's Proposition 8 has grown in an 11-day period, reports CBS 5, the San Francisco Bay Area affiliate that commissioned the survey. Proposition 8 would rescind marriage equality for same-sex couples if passed. The California supreme court legalized same-sex marriage on May 15.

Results found that among 670 likely voters, 47% now support the ban on marriage equality, compared with 42% who oppose. Ironically, a poll conducted 11 days earlier found the same five-point margin, but that time in the opposition's favor. SurveyUSA, which conducted the research October 4–5, indicates that the only demographic to shift its position is young voters, typically the hardest to poll and predict.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points, which makes the race still too close to call, says the pollster. A summary released by SurveyUSA concluded, "Polling on ballot measures in general is an inexact science, and polling on homosexuality in general is a tricky business. So, not too much should be made of the five points that separates 'yes' and 'no' today."

As in previous polls, support for a gay marriage ban was strongest among self-identified conservatives and regular churchgoers. Liberals and those who consider themselves less religious made up the lion's share of the opposition. (The Advocate)

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Jason
    Date posted: 10/18/2008 1:52:00 AM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    I don't understand why gay people want to get married at all. I have been gay long enough to realize that promiscuity is a fact of life in the gay community, so the only thing that bringing marriage into our community would do is increase the divorce rate. I support prop 8. Leave marriage to the straights.

  • Name: goingtoheaven
    Date posted: 10/17/2008 6:20:00 PM
    Hometown: river

    Comment:

    PROPOSITION WONT AFFECT YOU!PEOPLE ALWAYS USE THE BIBLE TO JUDGE OR TO FIND PASSAGES THAT BENEFITS YOU. HAVE YOU READ THE PART WERE ITS STATES ( DONT USE MY NAME TO CONDEMN?) NO HU? IT SEEMS PEOPLE ALWAYS USE THE BIBLE TO ITS BENEFITS . FIRST OF ALL GOD DOES NOT WHAT YOU TO USE HIS NAME FOR PREJUDICE LET HIM JUDGE NOT YOU! LETTING GAYS GET MARRIED WONT AFFECT YOUR LIFE AND PASSING THIS PROP WILL AFFECT THE AFFECTED .RIGHTS AND FROM BENEFITS AT WORK OR MAYBE ONE THE THE MARRIED COUPLES THAT ADOPTED A CHILD THAT WAS DUMPT FROM ONE YOU STRAIGHT PEEPS. PROPOSITION 8 TO DEFEND MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN A WOMAN RIGHT? 1.WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DEFENDING? THAT 1 OUT OF EVERY 2 STRAIGHT MARRIAGES ENDS UP IN DIVORSE? 2.THAT HALF OF YOU PEOPLE COMMIT ABORTION BECAUSE IT WAS A OPPPS?? BEFORE YOU GUYS WANT TO DEFEND YOUR MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN A WOMAN WHY DONT YOU PEOPLE WORK ON MAKING MARRIAGE WORK? YOU PEOPLE ARE THE ONES MAKING MARRIAGE LOOK BAD!

  • Name: SIL
    Date posted: 10/17/2008 4:02:00 PM
    Hometown: RIVERSIDE

    Comment:

    PROPOSITION 8 WONT AFFECT YOU! PEOPLE ALWAYS USE THE BIBLE TO GO AGAINST SOMETHING, FIRST OF ALL GOD DOES NOT WHAT YOU TO USE HIS NAME FOR PREJUDICE LET HIM JUDGE NOT YOU! FIRST OF ALL LETTING GAYS MARRIED WONT AFFECT YOUR LIFE AND PASSING THIS PROP WILL AFFECT THE AFFECTED, FROM RIGHTS AND FROM BENEFITS AT WORK U PEOPLE ARE SELFISH. YOU ALWAYS SAY WELL THE BIBBLE SAIDS ITS WRONG BUT PRETTY MUCH ALMOST EVERYTHING WE DO IS WRONG ALL HE WANTS IS LOVE AND FOR US TO BELIEVE IN HIM. PROPOSITION 8 TO DEFEND MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN A WOMAN RIGHT? 1.WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DEFENDING? THAT 1 OUT OF EVERY 2 STRAIGHT MARRIAGES ENDS UP IN DIVORSE? 2.THAT HALF OF YOU PEOPLE COMMIT ABORTION BECAUSE IT WAS A OPPPS?? 4. I CANT EVEN GO TO A GORCERY STORE WITH OUT HAVING ONE IF YOUR MARRIED GUYS HIT ON ME. YOU WANT TO DEFEND YOUR MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN A WOMAN WHY DONT YOU PEOPLE WORK ON MAKING MARRIAGE WORK? YOU PEOPLE ARE THE ONES MAKING MARRIAGE LOOK BAD!

  • Name: Muraya
    Date posted: 10/9/2008 4:01:00 PM
    Hometown: Hercules

    Comment:

    cont - It's not what we believe in biblically or logically. Most people - especially in this day of higher tolerance - would respect that. Tolerance is a two way street after all. The same civil rights that married heteros have will still apply to homosexual couples. So, what is the threat here? Is it not being able to mark the word 'married' on a form? I believe that 'civil marriage' or 'common law marriage' is an option. My point is the real definition of marriage should remain purely between a man and a woman. Not apologizing for what I believe in nor am I wrong to feel this way. I'm no way shape or form a biggot either. I'm a compassionate human being who loves gay and straight people but believes in upholding the sanctity of why marriage was ever created in the first place. Amen!

  • Name: Muraya
    Date posted: 10/9/2008 3:59:00 PM
    Hometown: Hercules

    Comment:

    I'm relieved to see the poll numbers change. There is a margin for error but being a married mother of 5 children who wants to raise her children with knowing that the real definition of marriage is between a man and a women, I'm making sure I vote yes. Now, just to clarify, I do not have an issue with gay versus straight. I have gay friends and relatives that I love dearly. I do not accept the acts of homosexuality - I accept the person first, period. I felt the need to clear that up right away. My faith and moral beliefs is what motivates me to vote with my heart, not just my mind. I can separate the person from the orientation. I just cannot with my heart of hearts advocate our schools teaching my children that same sex marriages are natural. I don't want my little girls to come home one day and ask if they can marry a princess like the princess in her teachers storybook did. This is not cool to us.

  • Name: Scott
    Date posted: 10/8/2008 10:01:00 PM
    Hometown: LA

    Comment:

    Well the thing is, they used Gavin as a scapegoat like so many of those negative types of ads, but in reality whether he intended it or not, he's right. We have laws "whether you like them or not." There are a lot of laws I don't like and would rather not have but I don't get to put them up for a vote, please! People get to have their personal opinions but this is a grand example of the largely uneducated, unwashed masses having way too much control. Once this fight is over we need to close whatever loophole allows this ridiculous putting things up for a vote because we didn't get our way nonsense. I don't know what's going on with that Pepperdine guy. I know a lot of law graduates from Pepperdine and they are NOTHING like this idiot.

  • Name: Michael
    Date posted: 10/8/2008 7:18:00 PM
    Hometown: San Jose

    Comment:

    What has changed over the last several days is an ad campaign that is flooding our airways. It is a highly effective ad, full of lies intoned by a "college law professor". It opens and closes with a now not-such-a-good-idea celebratory taunt by SF mayor Gavin Newsome. I still love the guy but the "like it or not, it's here" makes for great ad lines. I hear it at least 2x daily on the flagship (and liberal) AM SF station! Where is our side? I've given and they want more, but what are they doing with the money? Let's go!

  • Name: Michael Buchanan
    Date posted: 10/8/2008 4:01:00 AM
    Hometown: Amsterdam

    Comment:

    Thank Obama and his Faith Tour! He could have done something, ANYTHING, instead of repeating the lie that marriage is between a man and a woman when we have TWO states where that is just not true!

  • Name: Wayne
    Date posted: 10/7/2008 6:05:00 PM
    Hometown: NYC

    Comment:

    Google the CBS News story in which Obama's conservative African American supporters are mobilizing to push Prop 8 through. They even Thank Obama for his opposition to Gay Marriage. And don't hold your breath waiting for Obama to even take 10 secs to do a commercial saying Vote No on Prop 8. It's really sad. We need to wake up to the fact that Obama is not our friend.

  • Name: anthony newsome
    Date posted: 10/7/2008 2:29:00 PM
    Hometown: dublin

    Comment:

    this is sad news indeed, people need to get out and vote on this issue, stop talking and get off your behinds and make a difference by standing up against the biggots, this law needs to stay in place, 'justice and liberty for all' unless of course your homosexual, where did I put them cha cha heels, anto



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