Maine split on gay marriage question
Raleigh, N.C. - Two weeks out from election day Maine voters are divided right downthe middle when it comes to whether they will reject the state's law allowing same sex couples to marry.
48% say they will vote to over turn the law while 48% say they will vote to keep it with only 4% of the electorate still undecided.
Opinion on the issue predictably breaks heavily along party lines. 74% of Republicans are planning to vote yes while only 25% of Democrats are. Independents may end up deciding which way it goes- presently 50% of them support rejecting the law with 44% in opposition.
Older voters are strongest in their support of cutting off gay marriage. 54% are in support with 40% opposed. Senior citizens can often dominate the electorate in low turnout elections so the ultimate fate of this measure may lie in how many younger people get out to the polls and vote.
There is a strong gender gap on the issue with 53% of men but only 43% of women wanting to reject the law. It's also interesting to note that while white voters oppose undoing the law by a thin 47-45 margin, nonwhite voters in the state support rejection by a 55-35 margin, creating the overall tie.
"The fate of Question 1 is going to be decided by which side does a better job of mobilizing their supporters to get out and vote," said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. "Voters in the state know where they stand on the issue and now it's just an issue of who shows up."
PPP surveyed 1,130 likely voters from October 16th to 19th. The survey's margin of error is +/-2.9%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.
Complete results are attached and can be found at www.publicpolicypolling.com.
