Eighty percent of Maine voters say the legalization of gay
marriage has had a positive or no impact on their lives.
According to a Public
Policy Polling survey of 953 registered Maine voters released
late last month, 62 percent of respondents said that the legalization
of same-sex marriage in Maine has had no impact at all on their
lives, 18 percent said it has had a positive impact, and 20 percent
said it has had a negative impact.
A majority (53%) of respondents agreed that gay and lesbian
couples should be allowed to marry, while 38 percent remain opposed.
Opposition has decreased significantly since passage of the
marriage law at the polls in November, declining from 47 to 38
percent. Gay and lesbian couples began marrying on December 29,
2012.
“That may be because most voters don't think gay marriage being
legal has been a big deal,” a Public Policy Polling pollster told
the Bangor
Daily News.
“As Maine people have had an opportunity to see the law
firsthand and to see how it really impacts them and their families
and neighbors, acceptance is growing,” said David Farmer, who
served as communications director for Mainers United for Marriage.
“All the dire consequences opponents of freedom to marry predicted
just haven't come true.”