A majority of voters in Minnesota
oppose amending the state's constitution to ban gay marriage, a new
poll found.
According
to the Star Tribune, which commissioned the poll, 55
percent of respondents oppose a constitutional amendment banning gay
marriage, while 39 percent are in favor.
On Wednesday, Senate Republicans and
one Democrat, Senator Leory Stumpf of Plummer, banded together to
approve Republican Senator Warren Limmer's bill that aims to
constitutionally define marriage as a heterosexual union. After
three hours' worth of often-emotional debate senators approved the
constitutional plan with a 30 to 27 vote. A companion House measure
has already cleared its first legislative hurdle and is also expected
to pass.
If approved, voters would be asked in
2012 to decide on the definition of marriage. Minnesota law already
bans gay and lesbian couples from marrying, but supporters say the
law remains vulnerable to legal challenges without the amendment.
The new poll reveals a dramatic shift
in public sentiment on the issue. In 2004, 58 percent of respondents
to the same Minnesota Poll supported a constitutional amendment that
would limit marriage to one man and one woman.
The issue in Minnesota breaks down
political lines.
A large majority (75%) of Democrats and
a majority (57%) of independent voters said they opposed the proposed
amendment. However, a larger majority (65%) of Republicans support
its passage.
The paper contacted 806 Minnesotans for
its survey, which has a sampling error of plus or minus 4.7
percentage points.