January 27, 2011 - Gay Marriage Wins Highest Support Ever In New York, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Oppose Public Financing For State Candidates Word format By the highest margin ever, 56 - 37 percent, New York State voters support legislation allowing same-sex couples to marry, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. This compares to 51 - 41 percent support, the previous high, measured in a June 23, 2009 survey, by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University. In today's survey, support for gay marriage is 69 - 25 percent among Democrats and 55 - 39 percent among independent voters. Republicans are opposed 52 - 41 percent. Men back gay marriage 54 - 40 percent and women support it 58 - 34 percent. Support is highest among suburban voters, 61 - 33 percent. New York City voters support gay marriage 55 - 37 percent and upstate voters support it 54 - 39 percent. By a 64 - 24 percent margin, New York State voters say an independent commission, not the State Legislature, should create the districts from which member of the U.S. Congress and the State Legislature are elected. Support is strongest, 70 - 21 percent, among independent voters and is over 60 percent among all other groups. But despite pledges from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and many legislators to establish non- partisan redistricting, voters say 49 - 34 percent that they won't keep their promise. "Gov. Andrew Cuomo didn't make a big issue of same-sex marriage in his state-of-the- state speech, but he said he was for it and so are most New Yorkers," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "New York State voter attitudes about gay marriage have shifted dramatically since April 15, 2004, when Quinnipiac University first asked about gay marriage and found voters opposed the measure 55 - 37 percent." "There's a lot of cynicism out there. Former Mayor Ed Koch's call for non-partisan legislative and congressional redistricting won a lot of support during last year's campaign. By more than 2-1, voters like the idea. But many doubt that Albany will do it," Carroll added. New York State voters oppose 51 - 40 public financing for candidates for governor, other statewide offices and the State Legislature. Democrats back campaign financing by a narrow 46 - 43 percent, but opposition is 63 - 29 percent among Republicans and 49 - 45 percent among independent voters. Voters say 48 - 42 percent that state legislators who are lawyers should be required to publicly list their clients. Independent voters back this measure 57 - 35 percent while Democrats split 45 - 44 percent. Republicans are opposed by a narrow 47 - 44 percent. "With a firm grip on their wallets, New Yorkers are opposed to spending tax dollars on just about anything, including campaign finance reform to clean up Albany," Carroll added. Approvals for President, Senators New York State voters approve 53 - 40 percent of the job President Barack Obama is doing, compared to his 48 - 43 percent approval December 8. Voters approve 57 - 24 percent of the job U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is doing and give U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand a 48 - 21 percent job approval rating. From January 18 - 24, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,436 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and the nation as a public service and for research. For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter. 2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Charles Schumer is handling his job as United States Senator? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Approve 57% 46% 73% 52% 53% 61% 58% Disapprove 24 38 9 30 31 19 26 DK/NA 18 16 18 18 16 20 16 UpStat NYC Sub Approve 51% 65% 57% Disapprove 25 22 28 DK/NA 24 12 16 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Charles Schumer is handling his job as United States Senator? (*High app also 69% Oct 2001) APPROVE....... DIS... High Low High Jan 27 Sep 01 Jul 28 Jun 22 Dec 8 Apr 15 Jul 28 2011 2010 2010 2010 2004* 1999 2010 Approve 57 58 55 60 69 51 55 Disapprove 24 31 33 28 16 22 33 DK/NA 18 11 12 12 15 28 12 3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Kirsten Gillibrand is handling her job as United States Senator? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Approve 48% 35% 62% 42% 41% 54% 50% Disapprove 21 35 9 26 28 15 22 DK/NA 31 30 29 32 31 31 28 UpStat NYC Sub Approve 49% 50% 41% Disapprove 21 19 25 DK/NA 30 30 34 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Kirsten Gillibrand is handling her job as United States Senator? (*High also 48% Jul 2010) APPROVE....... High Low Jan 27 Sep 01 Jul 28 Jun 22 Apr 13 Jan 27 Feb 17 2011 2010 2010 2010 2010 2011* 2009 Approve 48 46 48 44 47 48 28 Disapprove 21 27 26 27 25 21 10 DK/NA 31 27 26 29 29 31 62 4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHlds Blk Approve 53% 20% 82% 47% 48% 58% 56% 83% Disapprove 40 74 11 46 46 35 38 13 DK/NA 7 5 7 7 6 8 6 4 UpStat NYC Sub Approve 49% 65% 42% Disapprove 43 30 51 DK/NA 8 5 7 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president? APPROVE...... High Low Jan 27 Dec 08 Aug 31 Jul 29 Jun 22 Feb 19 Dec 08 2011 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009 2010 Approve 53 48 51 53 55 72 48 Disapprove 40 43 41 41 39 17 43 DK/NA 7 9 7 6 6 10 9 27. Do you think state legislators who are practicing lawyers should be required to publicly disclose their clients or not? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Yes 48% 44% 45% 57% 55% 42% 52% No 42 47 44 35 35 49 43 DK/NA 9 9 12 8 10 9 5 UpStat NYC Sub Yes 43% 50% 55% No 48 38 38 DK/NA 9 12 7 28. Do you support or oppose public financing of campaigns for governor, other statewide offices and the state legislature? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Support 40% 29% 46% 45% 46% 34% 47% Oppose 51 63 43 49 47 55 50 DK/NA 9 8 11 7 7 11 3 UpStat NYC Sub Support 33% 46% 43% Oppose 59 45 46 DK/NA 8 9 10 29. Who do you think should draw the district lines by which members of the state legislature and Congress are elected, the state legislature or a commission that has no connection to the state legislature? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds State legislature 24% 25% 27% 21% 25% 23% 22% Commission/No connection 64 60 61 70 65 63 74 DK/NA 12 15 13 9 9 14 4 UpStat NYC Sub State legislature 24% 27% 21% Commission/No connection 68 60 65 DK/NA 9 13 14 TREND: Who do you think should draw the district lines by which members of the state legislature and Congress are elected - the state legislature or a commission that has no connection to the state legislature? Jan 27 Dec 08 Dec 16 Aug 18 Jun 22 2011 2010 2009 2009 2009 Legislature 24 20 16 21 22 Commission 64 69 73 70 66 DK/NA 12 11 11 9 12 30. If a commission drew the district lines from which legislators and members of Congress are elected, would that make for more competitive elections or not? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Yes 67% 70% 67% 66% 67% 67% 74% No 18 17 16 19 19 16 17 DK/NA 15 13 17 14 14 17 10 UpStat NYC Sub Yes 70% 61% 72% No 15 22 15 DK/NA 15 17 13 TREND: If a commission drew the district lines from which legislators and members of Congress are elected, would that make for more competitive elections or not? Jan 24 Dec 08 Dec 16 Aug 18 Jun 22 2011 2010 2009 2009 2009 Yes 67 71 69 69 65 No 18 14 12 16 14 DK/NA 15 15 19 14 22 31. During the campaign, Andrew Cuomo and many legislators promised to follow former Mayor Koch's call for non-partisan re-districting. Do you think they will do it or not? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Yes 34% 29% 41% 31% 30% 38% 37% No 49 55 39 52 58 41 50 DK/NA 17 16 20 17 12 22 12 UpStat NYC Sub Yes 33% 34% 37% No 53 48 44 DK/NA 15 19 19 32. Would you support or oppose a law that would allow same-sex couples to get married? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Support 56% 41% 69% 55% 54% 58% 59% Oppose 37 52 25 39 40 34 36 DK/NA 7 7 6 7 6 8 5 UpStat NYC Sub Support 54% 55% 61% Oppose 39 37 33 DK/NA 7 8 6 TREND: Would you support or oppose a law that would allow same-sex couples to get married? Jan 27 Dec 16 Jun 23 May 14 Apr 15 2011 2009 2009 2009 2004 Support 56 47 51 46 37 Oppose 37 46 41 46 55 DK/NA 7 7 8 8 8
