LOS ANGELES, June 10 (UPI) -- Californians' attitudes toward same-sex marriage have changed significantly in the nearly five years since approving a constitutional ban, a new poll has found.
A USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll reveals nearly 60 percent of voters in the state now believe marriage between gays or lesbians should be legal, the Times reported Monday.
The greatest change is among senior citizens, the poll said. Voters 65 and older were split 46 percent for, 47 percent against. That's a 19 percent drop in the number of opponents three years ago.
Younger voters approved of same-sex marriage in larger numbers. Some 76 percent of voters between 18 and 29 supported legalization. Only 52 percent of those 50 to 64 did.
Overall, 58 percent of those surveyed said same-sex marriage should be legal, while 36 percent were opposed. When the same question was asked three years ago, 52 percent were in favor and 40 percent were against.
The differences in opinions from when the same survey was conducted three years ago represents "an across-the-board sea change," said Drew Lieberman, vice president of the Democratic firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research that conducted the poll.
The poll was released as a decision on same-sex marriage is expected soon by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Some 1,500 registered were surveyed in the poll, conducted from May 27 to June 2. It has a 2.9 percent margin of error.
