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by HRC Staff •
President’s marriage equality support a net political boon; HRC post-election poll shows LGBT cultural sea-change
11/13/2012
Washington– The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, today released results of a post-election poll showing a cultural sea-change on LGBT equality reflected in voters’ attitudes.
“Last week’s results make clear that equality was a winner at the polls and confirms the inherent fairness of the American people,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “The President proved that support for marriage equality is not just the right thing to do but also a path toward electoral success.”
Whereas in 2004, LGBT issues – and marriage in particular – were used as wedge issues to drive conservative turnout, 2012 is remarkable in that the opposite has happened. In only eight years, marriage has gone from a wedge for the right, to a motivator for progressives, youth and even independents.
President Obama’s national popular vote margin was 3,305,710 votes. As 5 percent of the electorate, 6,043,599 lesbian, gay and bisexual people voted overall, favoring the president with 76 percent of their votes, equaling 4,593,136 people. Had the LGB population voted the same as the national average, President Obama would have only received 3,082,235 LGB votes. In other words, because the LGB community swung so significantly to President Obama, he received 1,510,901 more LGB votes – an astounding 45.7% of the President’s total popular vote margin.
Total Americans voting | 120,871,984 |
Total LGB voters (5% of electorate) | 6,043,599 |
President Obama’s national popular vote (51% of all voters) | 62,088,847 |
President Obama’s national popular vote margin over Mitt Romney | 3,305,710 |
LGB votes for President Obama (76% of total LGB votes) | 4,593,136 |
President Obama’s LGB votes if the demographic group only voted for him at the national average of 51% | 3,082,235 |
Additional LGB votes President Obama received above the 51% national average | 1,510,901 |
Percent of President Obama’s national popular vote margin due to LGB voters | 45.7% |
Among the findings in the poll conducted for HRC by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research:
“Both parties should be vying for the votes of the LGBT community and our allies,” said Griffin. “With the growing breadth and depth of our electoral power, no one should take our votes for granted.”
This fair-minded majority resulted in landslide victories up and down the ballot for LGBT Americans. Aside from President Obama’s reelection, voters sent the first openly gay U.S. Senator to Washington in Tammy Baldwin, increased the number of openly gay and bisexual members of Congress, affirmed marriage equality at the ballot in Maine, Maryland and Washington, defeated a discriminatory marriage amendment in Minnesota, retained an Iowa Supreme Court Justice who decided for marriage equality, and built up state legislative majorities for relationship recognition in states like Colorado and Minnesota.
The full memo on the survey is available at: www.hrc.org{assets_Array:https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/Election2012_memo.pdf }
More on HRC’s electoral victories is available at: www.hrc.org/election
The survey, commissioned by the Human Rights Campaign and conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, was of 1,001 voters nationally who participated in the 2012 election. It was conducted between November 5th and 7th, 2012 among those who had already voted or were almost certain they would vote in the 2012 election and carries an overall margin of error of +/- 3.10. The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
To make a general inquiry, please visit our contact page. Members of the media can reach our press office at: (202) 572-8968 or email press@hrc.org.
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