Same sex marriage (SSM) in Rhode Island

Public opinion polls

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2008-JUL: Public opinion poll on SSM:

During 2008-JUL, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research asked 500 Rhode Island voters how they would likely vote in the next election if asked the question: "Do you favor or oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally?

Results were:

	49% supported same-sex marriage. This compares with 45% in 2006 an increase of almost one percentage point per year -- close to the national average.
	39% opposed SSM.
	12% are undecided or didn't answer.

The state has the highest percentage of Catholics of any state in the U.S.:

	51% of those polled identified themselves as Catholic,
	23% as Protestant, and
	3% as Jewish.

In spite of strong condemnation of SSM by their church, most Roman Catholics in the state support SSM:

	45% of Catholics favor SSM
	37% oppose SSM
	18% are undecided or didn't answer. 1

Considering the small number of voters sampled and the survey's margin of error of about ±5 percentage points, there is no statistically valid difference between the results for Catholic voters and the average voter.

The higher percentage of undecided or unresponsive Catholic subjects may be due to an internal conflict within the individual, being torn between:

	Their feeling of acceptance, tolerance, and understanding towards homosexuals, and
	The expectation by their church that they must reject homosexual behavior as immoral and unnatural.

2009-MAY and JULY: Informal 2009 poll:

In an informal survey, of nearly 4,000 of the Providence Journal's (ProJo) online readers produced the following results by 2009-MAY-15:

	58% supported SSM
	42% opposed SSM. 2

The higher values, compared to the previous survey are probably a combination of:

	The general trend in favor of SSM seen in recent years in the U.S.
	The fact that the newspaper did not offer "don't know" or "refuse to answer" as options, thus forcing their readers to take a stand.
	The persons answering the poll are self selected, and thus more highly motivated.
	The persons answering the poll are all Internet users, and may have different opinions from the general population.
	Anyone who lives anywhere in the world can express their opinion.

For these reasons, Internet polls are notoriously inaccurate. A randomly selected group of adults or adult voters gives far better results.

About two months later, 5.085 persons had answered the poll. The "Yes" vote was 57&; the "No" vote is 43%.

2009-MAY: Brown University Poll:

The Taubman Center for Public Policy conducted a survey of 593 randomly selected Rhode Island voters during 2009-MAY-18 to 20. Margin of error is ±4 percentage points. Results were:

	60% would support a law that would allow same-sex couples to get married;
	31% percent said they would oppose a same-sex marriage law;
	9% percent did not know or refused to answer.

The researchers also determined support for civil unions:

	75% would support civil unions for same-sex couples with the same rights as same-sex marriage, but without the name "marriage."
	17% would oppose civil unions
	8% did not know or refused to answer.

Surprisingly, there was little difference among men (60% favor) and women (59%)

As expected there was a major difference by age:

	87% of adults 18-29-year-olds support SSM, as do
	70% of those aged 30 to 39 years, and
	32% of those 70 and older

Also as expected, political affiliation had a major effect:

	77% of Democrats support SSM, as do
	28% of Republicans, and
	56% of independents. 3

65 percent of Rhode Island voters believe the state is on the wrong track. Only 36% feel that Gov. Donald Carcieri is doing a "good" or "excellent"job.

References used:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.

1. Michael A Jones, "Not All Catholics Follow Pope Benedict XVI on Same-Sex Marriage," Marriage Equality RI, 2009-FEB-17, at: http://marriageequalityri.wordpress.com/
2. Katherine Gregg, "R.I.'s dueling same-sex marriage bills elicit personal stories," Rhode Island News, 2009-FEB-27, at: http://www.projo.com/
3. "Most Rhode Islanders Support Same-Sex Marriage, Survey Finds," Taubman Center, Brown University, 2009-MAY-27, at: http://news.brown.edu/

Copyright © 2007 to 2009 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally written: 2007-FEB-24
Latest update: 2009-JUL-07
Author: B.A. Robinson

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