Majority of R.I. voters favor gay marriage

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Almost six out of 10 Rhode Island residents support allowing same-sex couples to marry, a poll indicates.

The poll released Wednesday showed growing support for same-sex marriage in the state, especially among its large Roman Catholic population, The Providence Journal said. The percentage of people who said committed gays and lesbians should be able to marry increased 10 percent since 2008 among all Rhode Islanders, and was up 12 percent among Catholics.

Rhode Island and Maine are the only New England states where same-sex marriage is not legal. It is illegal in all other states except Iowa and the District of Columbia.

The poll was done by Greenberg, Quinlan and Rosner for Gay and Lesbian Advocates & Defenders. The survey found 59 percent saying same-sex marriage should be legal and 31 percent disagreeing, compared to 49 percent for and 37 percent against in 2008.

"It shows, for the first time, a convincing majority of Rhode Island voters supporting equality," David Walker, vice president of the polling company, said. "Marriage equality is inevitable. The question is not whether, but when."

The poll, conducted in July among 500 registered voters, has a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.