A new poll shows Minnesota's marriage
amendment trailing by 7 points.
Voters on Tuesday will decide on a
constitutional amendment which would define marriage as a
heterosexual union.
According to a Public Policy Polling
survey of 1,164 likely voters, 45 percent of respondents said they
plan to vote for the amendment, while 52 percent say they plan to
vote against it. Three percent said they remain undecided.
“The marriage amendment is trailing
because of a massive generational divide. Seniors support it by a
57/40 margin but every other age group opposes it, including a 36/62
margin against it among voters under 30,” pollsters wrote in
announcing their results. “Republicans support it (79%) and
Democrats oppose it (76%) in almost equal numbers, but independents
tip the balance by opposing it 41/55.”
If the amendment fails, it will be the
first such loss for marriage equality foes, marking a real turning
point for supporters.
Minnesota “will get a lot of national
attention on election night if it turns down the proposed gay
marriage ban,” said Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy
Polling.
The amendment needs 50 percent approval
to pass.