In the days leading up to Tuesday's election, support for a proposed state constitutional ban on gay marriage remains strong, with 63 percent voter approval, according to a new statewide poll of registered voters.
Amendment 3 would define marriage as the union of "a man and a woman" and prevent any other "domestic union" from being "recognized as a marriage or given the same or substantially equivalent legal effect."
Those who said they would vote against Amendment 3 comprised 32 percent of the 1,228 registered voters polled in the new Deseret Morning News/KSL-TV poll, conducted by Dan Jones & Associates.
Only 5 percent of voters remained undecided in the poll, with an error margin of 2.8 percent.
The poll, conducted Oct. 21-28, showed little change from previous surveys on the issue, but there was a spike in support, from 61 percent to 69 percent, in the final two days of polling.
It's telling, Jones said, that religious support is strongest among those who identified themselves as "very active" LDS 82 percent of whom said they would vote for the amendment. "The thing about active LDS they vote," Jones said.
The majority of Catholics, Protestants and "not active" LDS, meanwhile, said they oppose the amendment.
Support was divided along party lines 83 percent of Republicans favored the amendment, while 71 percent of Democrats opposed it.
Among independent voters, 50 percent supported the measure, 44 percent opposed it, and 5 percent were undecided.
Scott McCoy, campaign manager of the Don't Amend Alliance campaign trying to defeat Amendment 3, remains optimistic despite the poll results, noting "there's a few wild cards out there.
"The ultimate poll is on election day," McCoy said. "I think we have good chance of surprising a lot of people."
Quin Monson, assistant political science professor at Brigham Young University, said Don't Amend's efforts have been well-organized and well-funded, but its message is "just a hard sell in this state."
Supporters have said Amendment 3 would simply define marriage and prevent so-called marriage substitutes such as civil unions.
- Is this dress too short? Tooele teen gets...
- Several Utah high schools moving to 4-year...
- Bus driver's arrest prevented potential 'mass...
- Sarah Palin catches flak over her Orrin Hatch...
- Crews battling 4,000-acre fire as stormy...
- Dangerous silence: Why you need to talk to...
- Mental competency questions raised in case of...
- KSL TV news icon Bruce Lindsay calls it a career
- Is this dress too short? Tooele teen...
49 - Stained-glass ceiling: Study says...
36 - Orrin Hatch is now the hunted —...
30 - Billboard battle heats up as company...
29 - Sarah Palin catches flak over her Orrin...
23 - Matheson, Love engage in lively...
21 - Liljenquist TV ad aims to pressure...
20 - How will Palin endorsement affect Hatch...
20







DeseretNews.com encourages a civil dialogue among its readers. We welcome your thoughtful comments.
— About comments