Majority Support Marriage Amendment

Special Report - March 9, 2012
Nearly two-thirds of likely North Carolina voters in the latest Civitas poll support the Marriage Protection Amendment that will be on the primary ballot on May 8, and support for the amendment increases among those who are opposed at the mention of a recent lawsuit challenging the state’s marriage laws. The monthly poll, which was conducted in February 2012, surveyed 600 likely 2012 general election voters in North Carolina on a variety of issues, including the Marriage Protection Amendment. According to the results, 64 percent of respondents support “a constitutional amendment that says: ‘Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state.’” Thirty percent of respondents said they oppose the amendment, and six percent said they do not know or are undecided.  Additionally, the Civitas Institute press release points out that “the biggest move this month over last [month] was the move of unaffiliated voters from a plus 11 percent margin in January to a plus 24 percent margin in February in support of the marriage amendment.”

The Civitas poll added an additional follow up question to the survey, asking respondents about a lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s marriage laws that was filed in December 2011 by theGuilford County Register of Deeds, along with several individuals, including two homosexual couples. The lawsuit claims, in part, that it is unconstitutional for the State to require that marriages be solemnized by religious clergy and licensed by the State, and asks the court to declare the state’s marriage laws unconstitutional. The Civitas survey’s follow up question describes the Guilford County lawsuit and notes that the “proposed amendment would prevent a judge from declaring marriage as only between one man and one woman as unconstitutional.” Then it asks, “With that information, would you be more likely or less likely to support the marriage amendment that would protect traditional marriage?” Sixty percent of respondents said they would be more likely to vote for the Marriage Protection Amendment because of the lawsuit, including 20 percent of those who said they oppose the amendment in the first question (27 percent said the lawsuit would make them “less likely” to support the amendment).

“The Civitas poll is one of the few polls in North Carolina that uses the actual wording from the proposed Marriage Protection Amendment to gauge support for the amendment among likely registered voters,” said Bill Brooks, president of the North Carolina Family Policy Council. “And once again, we see strong support among the majority of North Carolinians for preserving the institution of marriage in our State Constitution. We also see that when citizens hear about attempts by homosexual activists to redefine marriage through the courts, including right here in Guilford County, support for the amendment increases among those who might first say they oppose it.”

Related Resources:
Maryland Redefines Marriage - February 24, 2012
NJ Gov. Vetoes Marriage Redefinition Bill - February 20, 2012
Marriage Battle in WA State Not Over - February 16, 2012
Orange County Opposes Marriage Amendment - January 27, 2012
Faith Leaders Affirm Traditional Marriage - January 20, 2012
Raleigh Opposes Marriage Amendment - December 7, 2011
Polls Find NC Supports Marriage - October 14, 2011
Governor Opposes Marriage Amendment - October 11, 2011
Likely Voters Support the Marriage Amendment - October 6, 2011
Same-Sex Couples Seek Marriage Licenses - October 4, 2011
Marriage Debate Heats Up - September 22, 2011
Marriage Amendment Goes to Voters - September 14, 2011

Copyright © 2012. North Carolina Family Policy Council. All rights reserved.