A narrow majority of Washington state voters say they support equal marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples.

According to a Public Policy Polling survey of 1,073 Washington voters conducted between June 14 – 17, a majority (51%) of respondents said they support gay marriage, while 42 percent were opposed. Seven percent refused to answer.

“A majority of Washington voters now support gay marriage,” Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling, said in releasing the poll's findings. “Equality advocates are in position now to go 4 for 4 this fall, winning Minnesota, Maryland and Maine in addition to Washington.”

The country's “evolution” on gay nuptials will be put to the test this fall in these four states. Washington and Maryland voters will be asked to uphold – or reject – laws legalizing gay marriage approved by lawmakers. Minnesota voters will decide whether to place the state's law which bans gay nuptials in the Minnesota Constitution. Maine's ballot question asks voters if they would like to legalize gay marriage.

The poll also found that an overwhelming majority of Washington voters (77%) support recognizing gay couples with either marriage (47%) or civil unions (30%). Twenty-one percent said there should be no legal recognition of a gay couple's relationship.