Nearly two-thirds of registered voters
in New Jersey approve of a judge's decision to legalize gay marriage
in the state.
Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson
ruled last month that New Jersey must allow gay and lesbian couples
to marry starting on October 21. Governor Chris Christie, a
Republican, appealed the decision and asked Jacobson to stay her
ruling until the issue is settled.
According to a Fairleigh Dickinson
University PublicMind poll of 702 registered voters released Tuesday,
62 percent said that the state should drop its appeal and allow the
ruling to take effect, while 29 percent endorsed the administration's
move.
Significantly more Democrats (75%) than
Republicans (46%) and independents (61%) agreed with the court's
decision.
“The timing of the decision heightens
the importance of the issue at a time when the state enters the final
days of the Senate, gubernatorial and legislative elections,”
Krista Jenkins, director of PublicMind and professor of political
science at Fairleigh Dickinson University, said
in releasing the survey. “Candidates from top of the ticket to
down ballot races will undoubtedly be asked to weigh in on gay
marriage for which public opinion is decisive.”
(Related: Chris
Christie insists his mind is made up on gay marriage.)