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Loading ...Poll: Support for gay marriage up in NJ
02.19.2009 12:28pm EST
(Trenton, New Jersey) A new poll of registered voters in New Jersey finds there is a 10 point spread in favor of same-sex marriage.
The survey, by Monmouth University for Gannett newspapers, found 50 percent of voters support marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples, while 40 percent said they were opposed.In addition, the poll found a similar result when it came to amending the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage – 50 percent opposing an amendment and 41 percent in favor.
The release of the poll comes two months after a state mandated review of the New Jersey’s two year old civil union law recommended the legislation be amended to allow for same-sex marriage.
A bill is expected to be taken up by the legislature this year.
In 2006, the state Supreme Court ruled same-sex couples must have all the rights of marriage.
The Court gave the New Jersey State Legislature 180 days to act on the decision to grant same-sex couples the rights and benefits enjoyed by different-sex married couples, but left it up to the legislators to decide whether to call it marriage or civil unions.
The legislature opted for civil unions. But that, said civil rights groups, amounted to separate but equal.
A commission established by the state to study same-sex civil unions in New Jersey agreed with that argument.
The commission held three public hearings last year at which the majority of the testimony came from people who were in civil unions and said they were still not being treated the way married couples are by government agencies, employers and others.
For instance, the commission found that many companies in the state that are self-insured – and therefore are regulated by federal, rather than state, law – refuse to provide health insurance to the partners of their employees.
A bill to allow for same-sex marriage was filed in the last session of the New Jersey legislature, but gained little support in an election year from either House or Senate leaders. Garden State Equality believes this year it could have a strong chance of passage.
Gov. Jon Corzine has said he would sign a marriage bill if it were passed.
This poll is likely not true. Another poll came out and showed that it was much closer (48%-43%). Considering that polls in California right up to the election showed most opposed to Prop 8 (which subsequently passed with a 600,000 vote majority), it’s quite likely that at least a narrow majority of New Jerseyans are against gay marriage.
YAAAAAAAY! Go New Jersey!!!!!!! I was born in New Jersey and I’ve always wanted to go back, now I have an even better reason
I’m glad to hear that!!! but we’ll see about it.
Robert: “No amount of federal legislation can overturn states’ consitutional amendments, one of the downsides of the federalist system of government.”
This could be easily overcome with the removal of the Federal DOMA. If it were removed, the principal of supremacy would come into play. It would without a doubt require court battles, but we would be arguing from a much stronger position. This is how loving v. virginia came down, since there was no federal prohibition against interractial marriage it was decided that federal law trumped. Of course, there were attempts in congress at the time to amend the constitution to outlaw interracial marriage.
I think this will pass the legislature in NJ. However, NY where I live won’t get anything this year, maybe not next year either. Republicans are regrouping in the state and are planning a challenge to tack back governance of the state as well as unseating Kirsten Gillibrand, the recently appointed state democratic senator. We have a conservative, democratic triumvirate, Diaz, Espada and Kruger who are holding up the bill already waiting to come to the floor for a vote. All three are against marriage equality. If they’re not unseated in the primaries, forget about marriage equality in our state. We’ll never see marriage equality in every state, not while 29 or 30 states now have DOMA in place,more than half the country. No amount of federal legislation can overturn states’ consitutional amendments, one of the downsides of the federalist system of government.
Rick N’ Nick,
The antigay bigot at the top of the Delaware legislature Thurman Adams is 79 and this may be his last time in office I was told.
DE I was told, may be in line for a civil unions bill in the future. I was also told that the DE legislature is impervious to the world outside of DE and “will not be told what to do”. That is their attitude to the situation evolving in NJ, NY, New England and more pro-equality states. In terms of equality, little Delaware is the land equality passed by. Same with PA. MD is better now under O’ Malley (O Maille in the Irish Gaelic)than it was under Ehrlich and even more so is NJ, are the 2 bright spots in the MidAtlantic regions.
MA 49, CT 48, NJ 47 (marriage very likely there this year, CA 46 if Prop 8 overturned ME 45 (if it survives this assault by the radical far right wing FRC invaders on its march to equality.)
They must be stopped in Maine and sent packing or else they will be enboldened to continue their assault on other of the states that are on the way to achieving equality.
And Steve, the word from inside Maine is that ME gov Baldacci is progay marriage as are both houses of the Maine legislature. There is a progay marriage bill that is or will be advanced in Maine legislature this year and that Steve is why all the Family Research Council crazies and their cohorts 800 of the them are mucking around with the state of Maine in its capital city Augusta. They are not up there for a vacation. They are afraid that the Maine of 2009 and no longer the Maine of 1999, is about to become legally a marriage equality state. Why else all of this hullabaloo right now in Maine instead of in some other state?
This is great news! I go to school in Vermont but live in Massachusetts. As far as I know in the northeast, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New Jersey are all introducing bills to get on board with marriage. I think in 10 years, the entire northeast quadrant (with the exception of Maine… a displaced southern state in the north though I hope im wrong!) will have marriage.
It would take a very good paying job for me to consider living in a state that doesn’t have gay marriage. And it’s just about unlikely altogether that I’d consider living in a state that has a DOMA. So if NJ can get this law passed, it’s one more state i wouldnt be opposed to moving to and that me and my eventual family will feel welcomed in.
Let’s do this Jersey
I wish all of our community in NJ luck in getting this done. You should all be very proud and all GLBT are rooting for you and will celebrate with you in your victory. Your victory will be for us all. I hope we get some good news here in California too!
47 more states to go if california gets rid of prop 8
47 if california overturns prop 8
48 more states to go
Let’s hope this mentality spreads into PA and other surrounding states…
You Go NJ! My state is going to introduce a marriage bill and all those hatemogers are converging into Maine to stop it. Send your prays and best wishes our way because we will need it.
GO,,,,,, !! JERSEY !~!!! NOW IF DELAWARE COULD GET RID OF OUR HOMOPHOBIC LEGISLATURE
Yay! That is great news!
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