Pubdate: Wed, 15 May 2013
Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ)
Copyright: 2013 The Arizona Republic
Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html
Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: Yvonne Wingett Sanchez

SURVEY: MOST ARIZONANS BACK GAY MARRIAGE

Poll Also Says 56% Favor Legalizing Pot

A majority of Arizonans support same-sex marriage and decriminalizing 
marijuana use, a new poll says.

The Behavior Research Center's Rocky Mountain Poll indicated that 
most Arizonans - 56 percent - favor legalizing the possession of 
small amounts of marijuana for personal use, while 37 percent oppose 
such a move and 7 percent were unsure about the issue.

Voters in 2010 by a narrow margin legalized marijuana for medicinal 
use; more than 35,000 Arizonans participate in that program.

Independent voters were most supportive of legalization, at 72 
percent, while Republicans and conservatives were most likely to be 
opposed: 41 percent of Republicans said they favored legalization of 
marijuana, while 56 percent of those who identified with the GOP said 
they were opposed to it.

The poll also suggests that 55 percent of Arizonans favor allowing 
gay and lesbian couples to marry, while 35 percent oppose same-sex 
marriage and 10 percent say they are unsure. Most women, Latinos, 
liberals, moderates, independents, Democrats and voters younger than 
55 say they supported such unions, according to the poll.

Since 1996, Arizona law has defined marriage as between one man and 
one woman. In 2008, voters approved adding that definition of 
marriage to the state Constitution. It says that "only a union of one 
man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state."

The poll says Republicans are divided on same-sex marriage, with 53 
percent opposed and 36 percent in favor. The poll also says that 
while 51 percent of political conservatives were opposed, 41 percent 
support same-sex unions.

The poll released Tuesday was conducted between April 3 and April 16 
and is based on 700 telephone interviews statewide, including 438 
registered voters.

The survey's overall margin of error is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom