New details about an October poll shows
repealing a gay marriage law in Washington would not be easy.
The Washington
Poll found that 43 percent of the 938 registered voters surveyed
by telephone said gay marriage should be legal, while 22 percent
endorsed either civil unions or domestic partnerships for gay and
lesbian couples.
But when asked whether they would vote
to repeal a gay marriage law if approved by lawmakers, a majority of
respondents (55%) said they would not. And another 14 percent either
favored repeal not strongly (7%) or were undecided (7%). The survey
has a 3.5 percent margin of error.
The results are good news for marriage
equality advocates, who on Wednesday gained a powerful new ally in
Governor Chris Gregoire. Gregoire
has pledged to introduce a bill that would legalize gay marriage in
the upcoming legislative session. During a news conference on
the announcement, she said that she had struggled with the issue.
Opponents are expected to attempt to
repeal the law at the ballot box, if approved by lawmakers.
Currently, Washington recognizes gay
and lesbian couples with domestic partnerships.