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Gay Marriage Supported By Colorado Voters: Public Policy Polling

POLL: Colorado Voters Support Gay Marriage
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Colorado's enactment of civil unions is just days away, but according to a recent poll, voters are ready to take it a step further by supporting full marriage rights for same-sex couples.

A poll by Public Policy Polling shows Coloradans are in support of gay marriage by a 50/38 margin, and voters under the age of 30 support it by a 74/17 margin.

According to the poll, 50 percent of Coloradans support the state's recent passage of the civil unions bill, which is set to go into effect Wednesday at midnight on May 1. Fifty-one percent of those surveyed said they would support same-sex marriage.

The same poll also found that 49 percent of Coloradans favor Congress passing stricter gun control and an assault weapons ban.

“Republicans are looking for a path forward after losing 6 elections in a row for President, Governor, and the Senate in Colorado,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “But being on the wrong side of public opinion about hot button issues like gun control and gay marriage isn’t going to get them out of the wilderness.”

Most of those surveyed were women, and 26 percent identified their political affiliation as moderate.

Signing of the state's civil unions bill came less than a year after it was blocked by the then-Republican controlled House.

"It's really meaningful. To have the recognition of your love and relationship just like any other relationship by the state is an important both legal and symbolic thing," Democratic House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, a sponsor of the bill and the first gay lawmaker to hold the title of speaker in Colorado said last month.

While civil unions grant gay couples rights similar to marriage, such as hospital visitation rights, parental rights, and personal property transfers, a couple's civil union may not necessarily be recognized outside of Colorado.

“Each state has their own set of statutory framework in terms of recognizing civil unions or same-sex marriages,” Kyle Martelon, an attorney the Colorado law firm Wedgle & Spahn told LGBT magazine Out Front Colorado. “You have to look at the specific statutes in that particular state to see whether or not they would recognize a Colorado civil union.”

Before You Go

Colorado Civil Unions
Mark Ferrandino(01 of22)
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FILE - In this Nov. 14, 2012 file photo, Denver Democratic Rep. Mark Ferrandino leaves the House Chamber at the Capitol in Denver. Ferrandino, 35, is poised to become Colorado's next House speaker this week. He would be the first openly gay lawmaker in the state to hold that title. Democrats want to revisit proposals blocked by Republicans when they controlled the House in 2011 and 2012 _ especially civil unions for same-sex couples and a measure giving illegal immigrants who grew up in Colorado a break on tuition at state schools. Democrats could also try again on long-stalled efforts to overhaul Colorado's confusing tax rules and procedures for funding schools. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File) (credit:AP)
Civil Union(02 of22)
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An overflow crowd listens to testimony in the House State Affairs Committee, where testimony was being heard, at the state Capitol in Denver on Monday, May 14, 2012. Gov. John Hickenlooper called the special session for lawmakers to vote on Civil Unions and other issues not completed when last week's general session ended. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Mark Ferrandino, (03 of22)
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An overflow crowd listens as House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, sponsor of the Civil Unions bill, testifies before the House State Affairs Committee at the state Capitol in Denver on Monday, May 14, 2012. Gov. John Hickenlooper called the special session for lawmakers to vote on Civil Unions and other issues not completed when last weeks general session ended. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Civil Union(04 of22)
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A supporter of the Civil Unions bill puts on a T-shirt in the House State Affairs Committee, where testimony was being heard at the Capitol in Denver on Monday, May 14, 2012. Gov. John Hickenlooper called the special session for lawmakers to vote on Civil Unions and other issues not completed when last weeks general session ended. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Mark Ferrandino, (05 of22)
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An overflow crowd listens as House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, sponsor of the Civil Unions bill, testifies before the House State Affairs Committee at the state Capitol in Denver on May 14, 2012. Gov. John Hickenlooper called the special session for lawmakers to vote on Civil Unions and other issues not completed when last weeks general session ended. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Mark Ferrandino, (06 of22)
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House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, sponsor of the Civil Unions bill, testifies before the House State Affairs Committee at the Capitol in Denver on Monday, May 14, 2012. Gov. John Hickenlooper called the special session for lawmakers to vote on Civil Unions and other issues not completed when last weeks general session ended. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Andy Schmidt, Nora Schmidt(07 of22)
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Andy Schmidt and his 10-month-old daughter Nora attend a rally supporting Civil Unions at the state Capitol in Denver on May 14, 2012. Colorado lawmakers were called back into a special session on Monday to vote on several bills including Civil Unions. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Mark Ferrandino, Nancy Todd, Cherylin Peniston, Lois Court(08 of22)
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House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, center seated, is surrounded by Representatives Nancy Todd, left, Cherylin Peniston, D-Brighton and Lois Court, right, D-Denver, during a special session of lawmakers at the Capitol in Denver on May 14, 2012. Gov. John Hickenlooper called the special session for lawmakers to vote on Civil Unions and other issues not completed when last weeks general session ended. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Mark Ferrandino(09 of22)
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House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, talks to reporters during a break in a special session of the Legislature at the Capitol in Denver on May 14, 2012. Gov. John Hickenlooper called the special session for lawmakers to vote on Civil Unions and other issues not completed when last weeks general session ended. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Frank McNulty(10 of22)
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House Speaker Frank McNulty, right, R-Highlands Ranch, talks to journalist during a break in the special session at the Capitol in Denver on May 14, 2012. Gov. John Hickenlooper called the special session for lawmakers to vote on Civil Unions and other issues not completed when last weeks general session ended. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Mark Ferrandino, Amy Stephens, Frank McNulty(11 of22)
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House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, left, D-Denver, talks to Majority Leader Amy Stephens, R-Colorado Springs and House Speaker Frank McNulty, right, R-Highlands Ranch, during a break in floor action during a special session at the Capitol in Denver on May 14, 2012. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Mark Ferrandino(12 of22)
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House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, speaks at a rally supporting Civil Unions at the Capitol in Denver on May 14, 2012. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Colorado Civil Unions(13 of22)
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Supporters of Civil Unions rally at the Capitol in Denver on Monday, May 14, 2012. Colorado lawmakers were called back into a special session on Monday to vote on several bills including Civil Unions. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Pat Steadman, Lucia Guzman, Brandon Shaffer(14 of22)
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Openly gay Senator Pat Steadman, right, D-Denver, embraces gay Senator Lucia Guzman, D-Denver, at a rally in support of Civil Unions at the Capitol in Denver on Tuesday, May 8, 2012. The rally pushed for the passage of a Civil Unions bill that must be debated on the House floor before it can be passed on Wednesday the final day of the Legislative session. Senate President Brandon Shaffer is pictured in the background.(AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Pat Steadman(15 of22)
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Openly gay Sen. Pat Steadman, D-Denver, speaks at a rally supporting Civil Unions at the Capitol in Denver on May 14, 2012. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Pat Steadman(16 of22)
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Openly gay state Senator Pat Steadman, center, speaks at a rally in support of Civil Unions at the Capitol in Denver on Tuesday, May 8, 2012. The rally pushed for the passage of a Civil Unions bill that must be debated on the House floor before it can be passed on Wednesday the final day of the Legislative session. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Anna Simon, Fran Simon(17 of22)
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Partners Anna Simon, left, and Fran Simon embrace at a rally in support of Civil Unions at the Capitol in Denver on Tuesday, May 8, 2012. The rally pushed for the passage of a Civil Unions bill that must be debated on the House floor before it can be passed on Wednesday the final day of the Legislative session. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Colorado Civil Unions(18 of22)
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A crowd fills the Old Supreme Court chambers during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on a bill that would allow same-sex couples rights similar to married couples in Colorado at the Capitol in Denver on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Pat Steadman(19 of22)
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Democratic Sen. Pat Steadman, a gay lawmaker from Denver, testifies before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on a bill that would allow same-sex couples rights similar to married couples in Colorado at the Capitol in Denver on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012.(AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
John Hickenlooper(20 of22)
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Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper delivers his second State of the State address to a joint session of the state's lawmakers at the Capitol in Denver on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012. Hickenlooper urged lawmakers to move forward on social and financial goals this session, encouraging them to prove "cynics" wrong and show they can cooperate to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples and make the Colorado more business-friendly. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Nadia Bolz-Weber, Jeremy Shaver(21 of22)
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Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber, left, testifies before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on a bill that would allow same-sex couples rights similar to married couples in Colorado at the Capitol in Denver on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. Jeremy Shaver who also testified listens at right. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
Jason Cobb, Pat Steadman(22 of22)
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Jason Cobb, left, testifies before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on a bill that would allow same-sex couples rights similar to married couples in Colorado at the Capitol in Denver on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. The sponsor of the bill Democratic Sen. Pat Steadman, a gay lawmaker from Denver, listens at right. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) (credit:AP)
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