Popular Opinion
California public opinion has long supported legal protections for gay and lesbian couples. In early 1997, two and half years before any statewide recognition occurred, polls showed two-thirds of Californians supported the limited provisions in unsuccessful bills debated in the legislature at the time. There was also strong support (59 percent) for broader provisions (pension, health, leave and survivor benefits) that weren’t enacted until more than four years later.
Polls consistently show a marked contrast between support for domestic partnerships and same-sex marriage. In 1997, roughly 38 percent of Californians supported same-sex marriage. More polls show an increase in support for same-sex marriage, but few polls suggest that there is any more support for same-sex marriage than a statistical tie with opponents. On November 4, 2008, Californians voted, 52.2% to 47.8%, to eliminate the right of same sex couples to marry. However, a recent 2012 poll showed vast increase in support of same sex marriage with 59% of Californians supporting same sex marriage and 80% supporting legal recognition of same sex couples. The 2012 poll found for the first time a majority support for same-sex marriage when non-marriage domestic partnerships were presented as an option.
Read more about this topic: Domestic Partnership In California
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