A new Quinnipiac University poll shows most Ohioans surveyed support allowing same-sex couples to marry. The findings come after backers of a proposal overturning the state’s 2004 voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage announced it would not be on this year’s ballot. Ohio Public Radio’s Jo Ingles takes a look at what sponsors of the measure think about their decision in light of this poll.
FreedomOhio’s Ian James says he’s not surprised with the findings in the new Quinnipiac poll that show Ohioans, by a margin of 50 to 43, favor allowing same sex couples to marry in the Buckeye State.
James – A majority of Ohioans say yes, we want to end this ban.
That ban James refers to is the constitutional amendment Ohio voters passed back in 2004 that restricts marriage to a man and a woman and prevents same sex marriages performed in other states from being recognized in Ohio. James says the poll didn’t ask specifically about his proposed amendment to repeal the ban. But He says the poll is helpful because it shows men are the least likely to support gay marriage.
James - Men are usually further behind than women on these sorts of issues. So educating men about why civil marriage equality matters and how it is not going to affect them whatsoever but it is going to provide for family security is an important and necessary message to get across to men.
Mike Premo agrees. He’s with a national group called Why Marriage Matters, a group that focuses on public education about this issue.
Premo – The public education campaign that Why Marriage Matters is doing is engaging with people across Ohio who currently do not support marriage equality and helping them to change their minds. We know from our experience here, and in other states, that in order to increase support for marriage equality that you have to have these conversations. We know they can be difficult and they can take time but by having people talk about marriage equality and think about it, they start to change their minds and become supportive of it.
The Quinnipiac Poll shows younger Ohioans and women favor allowing gay marriage and older Ohioans and men tend to be against it.