Poll Shows More New Jersey Residents Support Marriage Equality Than Oppose

UPDATE: Advocate: NJ Senators Weigh Marriage Priority

A new poll released today shows that New Jersey residents support marriage equality more than they oppose it. By a 46% - 42 % margin, New Jerseyans favor legalizing same-sex marriage with 12% still unsure. The marriage question was asked after Election Day. The poll has a +/-3.3% margin of error.

This next quote is key! "The survey also shows that if the state Legislature passes a bill legalizing gay marriage, 52 percent would accept the decision, while 40 percent would support a constitutional amendment banning the practice."

On Monday I reported that state Sen. Paul Sarlo mentioned that the state's marriage bill may not get out of his committee so that the full senate could vote on it. Currently, there is a time crunch. Pro-marriage equality Gov. Jon Cozine was voted out of office earlier this month and will be replace by Chris Christie who adamantly opposes same-sex marriage.

Many fear that the defeat in Maine gave politicians cold feet, but this poll hopefully will thaw them out.

“New Jerseyans are more supportive of gay marriage than opposed to it, and more importantly, a majority would accept a legislative decision legalizing same-sex marriages,” said David Redlawsk, director of the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll and professor of political science at Rutgers University. “While this tests opinion outside the intensity of a campaign to ban gay marriage, as occurred in California, there is more of a ‘live and let live’ attitude in New Jersey than in many other states that have dealt with this issue.”

ACTION: Find out how you can help at Garden State Equality.

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