Poll Says NH Residents Favor Marriage for Same Sex Couples

Concord, NH. February 16, 2004. According to a new poll, 55% of New Hampshire residents are in favor of "a law that will allow the state to issue civil marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples". Only 41% are opposed.

The poll also found very strong opposition to amending the United States Constitution to ban states from issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples. Only 30% of those polled were in favor of an amendment, while 64% were opposed. 49% said they were "strongly opposed.:

The poll was conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center which interviewed 504 New Hampshire adults on February 4-12, 2004. The poll began the day after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued it's opinion that civil unions would create "second-class citizens" and would not satisfy the requirements of the Goodridge decision.

Beth McGuinn, of the New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition, said "It is clear that NH residents understand this issue—people who love one another and are committed to each other, regardless of their sex should have the opportunity to marry. The test will be whether the NH Senate reflects the peoples' will by defeating SB427, the anti-gay, anti-marriage, anti-family bill."

Brian Rater, also of the New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition, said "The most interesting part of this poll is that 54% of people who are currently married are in favor of including gay couples in marriage. Why does the government want to stand in the way of that?"

On Tuesday, the State Senate will hold a hearing on a bill that would ban same-sex couples from getting married. It would also prevent the state from honoring marriage licenses issues in other states. Senator Russel Prescott introduced the bill despite the fact that New Hampshire already has a law that forbids the state from honoring marriage licenses issued to gays.

"NH Senators and Representatives should note that all regions of the state and each executive council district support the concept of NH issuing civil marriage licenses to same sex couples," said McGuinn. "Interestingly, the north country, often thought to be the most traditional region of the state, had the highest level of support with 61%."

Rater added "SB427 is a particularly vicious bill because it would take marriage licenses away from people who are already married. It's like the state forcing people to get divorced."

UNH conducted a similar poll in April of 2003. That poll found 54% in favor of the state issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. 42% were opposed at that time.

Similar polls conducted in the Northeast over the last year have found 50-59% majorities in favor of marriage in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey.

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The New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition was founded in January 2001 and seeks to build the grassroots effort and support necessary to successfully advocate the passage of legislation that will provide same sex couples the civil right to marry in New Hampshire.