Iowa conservatives have pushed for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. But a new poll released by the University of Iowa shows many Iowans are in favor of at least allowing same-sex couples to join in a civil union.
From the University of Iowa –
As the Iowa Supreme Court prepares to hear a case that could clear the way for gay marriage in Iowa, a poll shows nearly sixty percent of voters in the state favor some type of legal recognition of same-sex relationships in Iowa.
In the random, statewide poll of 586 voters, University of Iowa political scientists found that 28 percent of Iowans support same-sex marriage. Another 30 percent support civil unions, not gay marriage. About one in three oppose both.
“Iowans are not yet ready to support gay marriage completely, but they are clearly ready to legally acknowledge same-sex relationships,” said David Redlawsk, associate professor of political science in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “For many the idea of marriage may still be a step too far, but at the same time they are willing to recognize committed relationships.”
Results, drawn from the Big Ten Battleground Poll, indicate that support for gay marriage will get a notable boost if the state’s high court rules in favor of it. And, a majority of Iowa voters under age 30 are already in favor of gay marriage, suggesting that support for it could grow as time goes on.
Battleground polls were conducted Oct. 19-22 in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota, home to the 11 universities in the Big Ten Conference. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percent.
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