American Foundation for Equal Rights

Marriage News Blog

17 National Polls Confirm: A Majority of Americans Support Marriage Equality

On the heels of four successful marriage equality ballot measures this election, a Washington Post-ABC News poll released this week is the 17th national survey to confirm that a majority of Americans support marriage for gay and lesbian couples.

As the Washington Post notes:

  • Women are 18 percentage points more supportive than men (59 to 41 percent)
  • Support among African American is more evenly divided, with 49% support, up dramatically from four years ago.
  • 53% of Latinos support marriage for gay and lesbian couples.

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.
  14. August 16, 2012: An AP/NCC national poll shows that 53% support legal reckogition of marriage equality.
  15. September 8, 2012: The New York Times/CBS News national surveys shows 51% of Americans support marriage equality.
  16. November 14, 2012: Washington Post-ABC News shows 51% support marriage for gay and lesbian Americans.
  17. June 25, 2012: the iMediaEthics poll shows that 70% of Americans are “’not upset’ with gay marriage.”
Topics: Blog, Polling