American Foundation for Equal Rights

Marriage News Blog

National Poll Shows Majority Support for Marriage Equality

[Update 2] A CNN/ORC International survey released June 6 brings the total number of polls showing majority support for marriage equality to 13.
[Update 1 ] The September 9, 2011 CNN/ORC and March 10, 2012 ABC News/Washington Post polls were  missing from the original post.

A new Washington Post/ABC News poll shows—once again—that a majority support the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian Americans.

“Overall, 53 percent of Americans say gay marriage should be legal, hitting a high mark in support while showing a dramatic turnaround from just six years ago, when just 36 percent thought it should be legal. Thirty-nine percent, a new low, say gay marriage should be illegal.”

Our efforts are working. No less than ten twelve 13 national polls now show majority support for marriage equality. What can we attribute to the continuing shift? Our leaders setting an example by standing up for what is right and everyday people having conversations with their family and friends about why equality is so important.

“59 percent of African Americans say they support same-sex marriage, up from an average of 41 percent in polls leading up to Obama’s announcement of his new position on the matter.”

Seventy-one percent of Americans have a friend, family member or acquaintance who is gay, according to the Post-ABC survey, compared with 63 percent in 2010 and 59 percent in 1998.”

With public support firmly on our side, we will achieve marriage equality.

For good measure, here is a list of the national polls we’ve been tracking that clearly show a majority support:

  1. August 11, 2010: CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll shows that a majority (52%) of Americans believe gays and lesbian couples should have a constitutional right to marry.
  2. August 11, 2010: Associated Press/National Constitution Center poll shows that a majority (52%) of Americans support marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples.
  3. March 18, 2011: Washington Post/ABC News poll shows majority of Americans (53%) support marriage equality.
  4. April 19, 2011: CNN-ORC International poll shows a majority of Americans (51%) support marriage for gay and lesbian couples.
  5. May 19, 2011: Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) poll shows a majority of Americans (51%) support the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples.
  6. May 20, 2011: A national Gallup poll confirms that a majority of Americans (53%) believe that gay and lesbians should have the freedom to marry.
  7. July 17, 2011: An ABC News/Washington Post poll shows a majority of Americans (51%) support the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples.
  8. September 9, 2011: A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll shows that a majority (53%) of Americans believe marriages for gay and lesbian couples should recognized by the law.
  9. September 30, 2011: An Associated Press-National Constitution Center poll shows that a majority (53%) of Americans support legally recognized marriages for gay and lesbian couples.
  10. March 10, 2012: An ABC News/Washington Post poll shows that 52% of Americans support marriage equality.
  11. May 8, 2012: A Gallup national poll confirms that a majority of Americans support marriage equality.
  12. May 23, 2012: A Washington Post/ABC News poll shows that 53% of Americans support marriage equality.
  13. June 6, 2012: A CNN/ORC International survey shows that 54% of Americans support marriage equality.

Image by Nate Silver tracking national polls since 1996.

Topics: Blog, Polling