Iowa Republicans: Vote on Gay Marriage

A new poll shows that a large majority of Republican primary voters in Iowa want to vote on a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

According to the Des Moines Register poll, "More than three-quarters of Iowans planning to vote in Tuesday's Republican primary say Iowans should have a chance to vote on changing the constitution specifically to ban gay marriage."

However, according to the poll, a third of respondents also said that some people have overreacted to the issue and that same-sex marriage is not a major concern.

The Iowa state supreme court upheld gay couples' right to marry in April 2009. In order to put a constitutional amendment before voters, the legislature would have to pass a resolution allowing such an amendment in two consecutive general assemblies. The Democratic-controlled legislature has prevented that possibility so far.