A new poll showing majority support for
gay marriage in Ohio has increased the divide among activists in the
state.
According to the September Washington
Post polls, a slim majority (52%) of Ohioans now support marriage
rights for gay and lesbian couples. Thirty-seven percent remain
opposed.
Freedom to Marry Ohio, the group
spearheading the effort to repeal Ohio's 2004 constitutional
amendment banning such unions, cheered the news.
Ian James, the group's founder, cited
the poll as further evidence of a shift in attitude among Ohioans on
the issue.
“This poll proves it's not too
early,” James told Cleveland's
WVIZ. “The polling proves that this is the right time to move
forward.”
But the state's largest gay rights
advocate, Equality Ohio, dismissed the survey, saying that a large
majority is needed to win on marriage equality.
“It's not yet at a number where I
would feel comfortable bringing it to the voters in Ohio,” said
interim President Kim Welter, adding that voters often “tell
pollsters one thing but then do something else when they go to the
ballot box.”
National groups are also keeping their
distance. Neither HRC nor Freedom to Marry, which is not associated
with Freedom to Marry Ohio, have yet to back the effort in Ohio.
Freedom to Marry Ohio must collect
roughly 385,000 valid signatures from at least half of Ohio's 88
counties to get the proposal on next year's ballot.