Sep 15, 2014

POLL: NC Support for Marriage Equality Tops Opposition

Elon, N.C. (Sept. 15, 2014) — A new poll from NC-based Elon University Polling found that 45% of North Carolinians now support full marriage equality for same-gender couples, versus 43% against. It is the first time that Elon University Poll has found support for the freedom to marry topping that of opponents.

According to Elon, this means "support for marriage equality has picked up 4 percentage points since a spring poll and opposition has dropped 3 percentage points."

“The movement for marriage is growing daily in North Carolina, and today more people in your town, your office, your neighborhood than not want loving, committed couples to be able to reap the true rewards and responsibilities of full and legal marriage like never before,” said Chris Sgro, executive director of Equality NC.

“These results simply reflect the dramatic momentum in support of the LGBT community we see every day in every corner of the Tar Heel state. This poll should signal a clarion call to North Carolina leaders that the constituent demand for full LGBT equality is not an ‘if’ proposition, but a ‘when.’”

The poll comes just as Equality NC releases its 2014 Voter Guide and endorsements, full of candidates who openly support the freedom to marry in North Carolina. Both the Elon poll and this growing list appear to reflect a changing electorate more accepting of marriage equality, despite the 2012 passage of Amendment One, the state's constitutional ban on relationship recognitions for gay and lesbian couples.

The Elon University Poll conducted a live-caller, dual frame (landline and cell phone) survey of 1,078 residents of North Carolina. Of those residents, 983 said they were registered to vote, and 629 were identified as likely voters. The survey was conducted Sept. 5-9, 2014, and has a margin of error of 3.91 percentage points for likely voters.