Poll: Near Majority Support for Marriage Equality in Hawaii

A near majority of voters in Hawaii, the first state to enter the marriage equality fray in the 1990s, now support full marriage rights for gays and lesbians, according to a recent poll by Public Policy Polling.

The poll found that 49% of respondents wanted to legalize gay marriage in the state. Same-sex civil unions are legal in Hawaii starting in January, having been signed into law in February by Gov. Neil Abercrombie after a previous bill had been vetoed by former Gov. Linda Lingle, who is now pursuing a bid for the U.S. Senate.

Forty percent remain opposed to marriage equality, while 11% are undecided, KITV.com reports (read the story here).