Iowa Poll Shows Residents Evenly Split Over Marriage Equality

The Desmoines Register produced the first Iowan poll on marriage equality since the Iowa Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. The nation's attention focused on the state since Iowa became the first mid-west state allowing gays and lesbians to marry, and many opponents and their dollars rushed in supporting different candidates who shared their views.

With the 2010 elections coming up, all 100 seats in the house are up for a vote as well as the governor's office with many gubernatorial candidates opposing marriage equality, and opposition forces hope to use the elections to get like-minded politicians in office and overturn the new law.

Yet many Iowans don't share their furor.

If a public referendum was held to ban marriage equality today, 41% would vote for the ban with 40% opposing. The remainder claimed they would not vote on it or were not sure.

35% of opponents to marriage equality strongly opposed while only 18% of supporters strongly favored.

But here's what's most striking and what could possibly be the death knell to some major talking points to anti-marriage equality forces: 92% claimed that same-sex marriage brought no real change to their lives.

63% claim candidates' stands on other issues will be more important in making their decisions in the 2010 elections.



Those these numbers don't show a majority support for marriage, it's very positive in that the anti-LGBT forces are quickly losing ground. Despite the cash flowing into Iowa, residents either don't feel marriage equality is a priority compared to other issues, or they actually support it and aren't swayed by the lies. This was proven recently with a National Organization for Marriage-backed candidate losing in a recent special election.

A recent Maine poll showed similar numbers (46% for marriage equality, 48% against), but unlike Iowa, Maine does have a public vote on their new marriage equality law coming up in November.

Help Maine protect marriage equality!