60 percent in Iowa support gay couple rights

[WillParkinson]

(Des Moines, Iowa) Two weeks before the Iowa Supreme Court hears arguments in a challenge to the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, a new poll indicates a majority of people in the state support gay couples, but are divided on whether they should be allowed to marry or have civil unions.

The University of Iowa poll found that 28.1 percent of those surveyed support same-sex marriage, while another 30.2 percent support civil unions, but not marriage. A third of those questioned oppose any recognition of same-sex couples, with about 10 percent having no opinion or refusing to answer.

The poll of 586 residents across the state was taken just prior to this month’s general election.

The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments Dec. 9 in a case involving six same-sex couples fighting for the right to marry. The lawsuit says state law limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples violates gay people’s rights to due process and equal protection established in the Iowa Constitution.

The court said that both sides will be given 30 minutes to make their arguments.

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