Most California Voters Support Gay Marriage

A majority of participants in a new poll say they support gay marriage, a consistent result in a series of polls in recent months.

Fifty-two percent of respondents agreed that "same-sex couples should be allowed to become legally married in the state of California." Forty percent of respondents disagreed. The poll of 1,515 registered voters was conducted for the Los Angeles Times and University of Southern California.

A Public Policy Institute of California poll released March 25 showed that 50% of respondents backed gay marriage versus 45% who opposed. In November another Times/USC poll had 51% of Californians supporting gay marriage and 43% opposed.

Young voters and those who identify as Democrats or liberals support gay marriage in larger numbers than those who are older than 64 or identify as Republicans or conservative.