Poll: Majority OK with same-sex marriage

LOS ANGELES, April 6 (UPI) -- A poll suggests same-sex marriage is supported by a majority of registered voters in California, where gay marriage was banned in a 2008 referendum.

When asked if "same-sex couples should be allowed to become legally married in the state of California," 52 percent of those surveyed said "Yes" and 40 percent said "No," the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

The poll, conducted by the Times and the University of Southern California, suggested registered voters younger than 30 support same-sex marriage by about a 3-to-1 margin and most of those 64 and older oppose it.

In the poll, the lopsided margin was repeated among Democrats and liberals supporting same-sex marriage and Republicans and conservatives opposing it.

Gay rights groups have said they will not attempt a statewide referendum on gay marriage this year because the age groups generally opposed to gay marriage were more likely to vote in a non-presidential election year than younger people.

The survey was conducted March 23-30 with 1,515 registered voters and had an overall margin of error of 2.6 percentage points.