POLL: Majority of Maine Voters Want Marriage Equality

Joe.My.God highlights a new Public Policy Polling poll of Maine voters which has very encouraging news for supporters of marriage equality. As you may recall, Maine is trying to become the first state in the history of the United States to enact marriage equality by a public vote of the people. In 2009, Maine voters rejected a referendum on a marriage equality law called Question 1 by a margin of 53% to 47%.

However, the new poll from PPP shows that Maine voters now support a law allowing "marriage licenses for same-sex couples that protects religious freedom by ensuring no religion or clergy be required to perform such a marriage in violation of their religious beliefs" by a margin of 47% to 32% with 21% undecided.

The more important question is that in the more basic question of "In general, do you think same-sex marriage should be legal or illegal?" a whopping 54% say it should be illegal compared to 41% who say it should be illegal.

Happily, the margin of error is a mere ±2.8 points, so this demonstrates a clear majority of Maine voters support marriage equality. This does not guarantee that the forces of good will win the electoral campaign to enact marriage at the ballot boxm, but it dramatially illustrates the difference in the terrain LGBT advocates now face in making their case for marriage equality to all voters.