A majority of registered voters in
Illinois say they support the legalization of marriage for gay and
lesbian couples.
According to a statewide poll of 600
likely voters conducted by Fako & Associates and commissioned by
Equality Illinois, the state's oldest and largest LGBT rights
advocate, 52 percent of respondents favor a proposed law making
Illinois the 15th state to adopt marriage equality, while
40 percent remain opposed. Eight percent refused to answer.
When pollsters shared information about
the U.S. Supreme Court's June ruling which struck down a portion of
the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which led to the federal
government recognizing the legal marriages of gay couples, support
grew to 54 percent.
The
poll comes a day before lawmakers reconvene for the fall session.
Marriage equality proponents are lobbying for passage of a marriage
bill which stalled in the House after clearing the Senate on
Valentine's Day.
“With Illinois same-sex couples
suffering because they cannot access federal benefits available to
married couples, the time is now in the fall legislative session for
the House to complete its unfinished business on the marriage bill,”
Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, said in an emailed
statement.
“With these poll results, there is
certainly no political reason why representatives shouldn't pass it
in overwhelming numbers. There are simply no excuses left. We
expect every House member who has expressed support publicly or
privately for marriage equality or who has been leaning in favor of
it to vote 'aye.'”
A December, 2012 Public Policy Polling
survey found proponents in Illinois leading on the issue by a 47-42
margin.
(Related: Majority
support gay marriage in New Jersey, proponents lead in Illinois.)