Poll: Majority of Utahns support same-sex marriage

In a new poll released Sunday, Jan. 12, 51.3 percent of Utahns said they believe same-sex marriages should be legal and 43.7 percent said there should be no legal recognition of same-sex marriages.

This poll was conducted by David Barker, who released a similar poll last week, which asked respondents whether they supported same-sex marriage, domestic partnerships or no legal recognition. That poll was to complement a 2012 Brigham Young University poll asking the same questions. It showed a 13 point increase in support for same-sex marriage in a year and a half.

Barker decided to run the new poll because, “Some groups said by including civil unions as a choice, the poll may have under-represented support for full civil marriage equality.”

The poll was taken Jan. 8 through 11 through Google Consumer Surveys. Critics of this platform state that it under-represents the views of older Utahns, since they are less likely to use a computer. Analytic testing of the data, however, shows a 95+ percent accuracy rating.

The poll received 501 responses over four days.

Women supported same-sex marriage 58 to 37 percent. Rural Utahns, however, are against same-sex marriage 58 to 33 percent. Respondents over 65 were also against gay marriage 63 to 33 percent.