Another Day, Another Poll Showing Americans Embracing Marriage Equality

by HRC Staff

WASHINGTON -- Just days before oral arguments on marriage equality are scheduled to begin at the Supreme Court, a new Washington Post/ABC Poll has found overwhelming support for marriage equality.

The survey showed that 61 percent of Americans believe that LGBT couples should be allowed to get married. It also showed that 61 percent of Americans believe that states SHOULD NOT be allowed to ban same-sex marriage, and 62 percent believe that states should have to recognize same-sex marriages that are legally performed in other states.

“It’s clear from this latest poll and many others like it this year that marriage equality isn’t a partisan issue anymore, it’s a settled issue. Support for marriage equality and LGBT people overall continues to grow,” said Fred Sainz, Vice President for Communications at the Human Rights Campaign. “The reality is that nearly half of our country knows an LGBT person who has gotten married or is in a committed relationship.”

Today’s poll on marriage equality is consistent with HRC’s recent national poll on the subject. The poll was commissioned in January to gauge attitudes on marriage equality after the Supreme Court of the United States granted cert to marriage cases from four states that will be considered next week: the consolidated case of Obergefell v. Hodges brought by Lambda Legal, ACLU and private attorneys from Ohio; DeBoer v. Snyder from Michigan, which was brought by GLAD and private attorneys; Tanco v. Haslam, brought by the National Center for Lesbian Rights and private attorneys from Tennessee; and the consolidated case of Bourke v. Beshear brought by private attorneys from Kentucky and joined by ACLU.

HRC’s survey showed support for marriage equality continues to expand and that there is virtually no public support for the opponents of marriage equality who have encouraged the public to resist a Supreme Court ruling -- even among voters who otherwise oppose marriage equality.

Highlights from the poll, which was conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner for the Human Rights Campaign: 60 percent of likely voters support marriage equality, a new high point in HRC’s tracking of the issue. Nearly half of Americans know an LGBT couple that has gotten married. A clear majority of voters favor marriage equality, regardless of where they live. Even traditional opponents of marriage equality are becoming more supportive, and voters overwhelmingly reject the extreme rhetoric used by Tony Perkins and his allies.

Read HRC's full marriage equality poll here.

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