Most Vermonters Say Yes
to Marriage Equality

A poll by a Vermont state senator shows that a majority of residents support marriage equality, despite the governor's intent to veto a same-sex marriage bill making its way through the legislature.

The unscientific poll, taken by Republican senator William Doyle, is a 40-year tradition to assess the general consensus among 12,000 Vermonters on topics such as abortion and the drinking age. This year, 55% of residents said the state should grant marriage equality to all residents, while 38% said it should not, according to the Associated Press.

For the same poll question in 1998, 61% of respondents said that the state shouldn't grant same-sex marriages, and 32% said it should.

Last Monday, the Vermont senate passed a marriage-equality bill by a vote of 26-4. The house judiciary committee will hear testimony starting Tuesday for the bill. Gov. Jim Douglas said last week that he would veto a marriage-equality bill if it were to reach his desk.