Resources > Public Opinion
Updated: September 23, 2014
Including the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll conducted in August 2010, the first poll to show a majority of American adults support marriage equality, there exist forty-six polls that show a majority of Americans support same-sex marriage.
- CNN/Opinion Research Corporation
August 6-10 2010, N=1,009 Adults, ± 4.5
“Do you think gays and lesbians should have a constitutional right to get married and have their marriage recognized by law as valid?”
52% Yes | 46% No - AP/National Constitution Center
August 11-16, 2010, N=1,007 Adults, ± 4.5
“Should the Federal Government give legal recognition to marriages between couples of the same sex, or not?”
52% Yes | 46% No - Washington Post/ABC News
March 10-13, 2011, N=1,005 Adults, ± 3.5
“On another subject, do you think it should be legal or illegal for gay and lesbian couples to get marred?”
53% Legal | 44% Illegal - CNN/Opinion Research Corporation
April 9-10, 2011, N=824 Adults, ± 3.5
“Do you think marriages between gay and lesbian couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?”
51% Should | 47% Should Not - Public Religion Research Institute
May 5-8, 2011, N=1,007 Adults, ±3.0
“Now I’d like to get your views on some issues that are being discussed in the country today. All in all, do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples to legally marry?”
51% Favor | 43% Oppose - Gallup
May 5-8, 2011, N=1,018 Adults, ± 4.0
“Do you think marriages between same-sex couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?”
53% Should | 45% Should Not - Washington Post/ABC News
July 14-17, 2011, N=1,001 Adults, ± 3.5
“On another subject, do you think it should be legal or illegal for gay and lesbian couples to get married?
51% Legal | 45% Illegal - AP/National Constitution Center
August 18-22, N=1,000 Adults, ± 4.1
“Should the government give legal recognition to marriages between couples of the same sex, or not?”
53% Yes | 44% No - CNN/Opinion Research Corporation
September 9-11, 2011, N=1,038 Adults, ± 3
“Do you think marriages between gay and lesbian couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?”
53% Should | 46% Should Not - Washington Post/ABC News
March 7-10, 2012, N=1,003 Adults, ± 4.0
“Do you think it should be legal or illegal for gay and lesbian couples to get marries?
52% Legal | 43% Illegal - Gallup
May 3-6, 2012, N=1,024 Adults, ± 4.0
“Do you think marriages between same-sex couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?”
50% Legal | 48% Illegal - Washington Post/ABC News
May 17-20, 2012, N=1,004 Adults, ± 3.5
“On another subject, do you think it should be legal or illegal for gay and lesbian couples to get married?”
53% Legal | 39% Illegal - CNN/Opinion Research Corporation
May 29-31, 2012, N=1,009 Adults, ± 3.0
“Do you think marriages between gay and lesbian couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?”
54% Should | 42% Should Not - iMediaEthics
June 4-6, 2012, N=893 Adults, ± 3.3
“Based on what you’ve read or heard, do you think marriages between couples of the same sex should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?”
53% Should | 41% Should Not - Washington Post/Kaiser Foundation
July 25 – August 5, 2012, N = 3,130, ± 3.5
“Do you think it should be Legal or Illegal for gay and lesbian couples to get married?”
53% Legal | 42% Illegal - Washington Post/ABC News
November 7-11, 2012, N=1,023 Adults, ± 3.5
“Do you support or oppose gay marriage?”
51% Support | 47% Oppose - CBS News
November 16-19, 2012, N=1,100, ± 3.0
“Do you think it should be legal or not legal for same-sex couples to marry?”
51% Legal | 41% Not Legal - USA Today/Gallup
November 26-29, N=1,015, ± 4.0
“Do you think marriages between same-sex couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?”
53% Should | 46% Should Not - NBC News/Wall Street Journal
December 6-9, 2012, N=1,000 Adults, ± 3.1
“Do you favor or oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples to enter into same-sex marriages?”
51% Favor | 40% Oppose - Center for American Progress/GLAD
January 23-27, 2013, N=802 Adults, ± 3.5
“Do you favor or oppose allowing same-sex couples to legally marry?”
52% Favor | 43% Oppose - Washington Post/ABC News
March 7-10, 2013, N=1,001 Adults, ± 3.1
“Do you think it should be legal or illegal for gay and lesbian couples to get married?”
58% Legal | 36% Illegal - Fox News
March 17-19, 2013, N=1,002 Adults, ± 3.0
“Do you think same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, or not?”
53% Do | 43% Do Not - CBS News
March 20-24, 2013, N=1,181 Adults, ± 3.0
“Do you think it should be legal or illegal for same-sex couples to marry?”
53% Legal | 39% Not Legal - NBC News/Wall Street Journal
April 5-8, 2013, N=1,000 Adults, ± 3.1
“Do you favor or oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples to enter into same sex marriage?”
53% Favor | 42% Oppose - Pew Research Center
May 1-5, 2013, N=1,504, ± 2.9
“Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose or strongly oppose Allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally?”
51% Favor | 42% Oppose - Washington Post/ABC News
May 1-4, 2013, N=1,008 Adults, ± 3.5
“Overall, do you support or oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally?”
55% Support | 40% Oppose - Gallup
May 2-7, 2013, N=1,535, ± 3.0
“Do you think marriages between same-sex couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?” 53% Should Be Valid | 45% Should Not Be Valid - Public Religion Research Institute
May 15-19, 2013, N=1,000 Adults, ± 3.1
“I’d like to get your views on some issues that are being discussed in the country today. All in all, do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally?”
52% Favor | 43% Oppose - Bloomberg National
June 1-3, 2013, N=1,002 Adults, ± 3.1
“The Supreme Court may also decide on the constitutionality of a prohibition on gay marriage in California. Do you support or oppose allowing same-sex couples to get married?”
52% Support | 41% Oppose - New York Times/CBS News
June 1-4, 2013, N=1,022 Adults
“Do you think it should be legal or not legal for same-sex couples to marry?”
51% Legal | 44% Not Legal - Washington Post/ABC News
June 5-9, 2013, N=1,007 Adults, ± 3.5
“Overall, do you support or oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally?”
57% Support | 40% Oppose - CNN/Opinion Research Corporation
June 11-13, 2013, N=1,014, ± 3.0
“Do you think marriages between gay and lesbian couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?”
55% Should | 44% Should Not - USA Today
June 27-30, N=1,003 Adults, ± 3.6
“Do you think marriages between same-sex couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?”
55% Should | 40% Should Not - Gallup
July 10-14, 2013, N=972 Adults, ± 4.0
“Suppose that on Election Day you could vote on key issues as well as candidates. Would you vote for or against a federal law that would make same-sex marriages legal in all 50 states?”
52% Vote For | 43% Vote Against - CBS News
July 18-22, 2013, N=1,036 Adults, ± 3.0
“Do you think it should be legal or not legal for same-sex couples to marry?”
55% Legal | 39% Not Legal - Quinnipiac University
September 23-29, 2013, N=1,776 Adults, ± 2.3
“Would you support or oppose a law in your state that would allow same-sex couples to get married?”
56% Support |36% Oppose - Gallup
September 20-23, 2013, N=1,000 Adults, ± 3.1
“Do you support or oppose allowing same-sex couples to get married?”
55% Support | 36% Oppose - Public Religion Research Institute
November 12 – December 18, 2013, N=4,509 Adults, ± 1.7
“All in all, do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally?”
53% Favor | 41% Oppose - Pew Research Center
February 12-26, 2014, N=3,338 Adults, ± 2.0
“Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose or strongly oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally?”
54% Favor | 41% Oppose - New York Times/CBS News
February 19-23, 2014, N=1,644 Adults, ± 3.0
“Do you think it should be legal or not legal for same-sex couples to marry?”
56% Legal | 39% Not Legal - Washington Post/ABC News
February 27 – March 2, 2014, N=1,002 Adults, ± 3.5
“Overall, do you support or oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally?”
59% Support | 34% Oppose - Bloomberg National Poll
March 7-10, 2014, N=1,001, ± 3.1
“Do you support or oppose allowing same-sex couples to get married?”
55% Support | 36% Oppose - Gallup
May 9-11, 2014, N=1,028, ± 4.0
“Do you think marriages between same-sex couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?”
55% Should Be Valid | 42% Should Not Be Valid - Washington Post/ABC News
May 29 – June 1, 2014, N=1,002, ± 3.5
“Overall, do you support or oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally?”
56% Support | 38% Oppose - McClatchy-Marist
August 4-7, 2014, N=1035, ± 3.0
“Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally?”
54% Favor | 38% Oppose - New York Times/CBS News
September 12-15, 2014, N=1009, ± 4.0
“Do you think it should be legal or not legal for same-sex couples to marry?”
56% Legal | 37% Not Legal
