A new Elon University poll finds that half of North Carolinians oppose a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a heterosexual institution. Meanwhile, a Civitas poll in February reported that 76 percent favor such an amendment and 21 percent oppose it. Why the difference?
Today’s “Under the Dome” entry at the N&O makes a good observation on that question:
The different wording in the polls seems to have had a dramatic effect on results. The May Civitas poll asked if people would support an amendment “defining marriage as between one man and one woman.” The Elon poll asked if voters would support an amendment that would “prevent any same-sex marriages.”
Just for accuracy’s sake, the actual legislation (SB 272) that would authorize a voter referendum on an amendment says nothing explicitly about banning same-sex marriage. In fact, the wording of the ballot question would be:
Constitutional amendment to provide that marriage between a man and a woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.”
So, the wording of the Civitas poll question is more accurate.
Now, would the amendment ban same-sex marriage? Yes. But it would also ban, presumably, any other domestic relationship from being recognized as a civil marriage (polygamy, bigamy, and others even more bizarre).
