Poll: Split support for amendment seeking same-sex marriage ban

A new St. Cloud State University Survey finds that Minnesotans are divided on an amendment to the state Constitution banning same-sex marriage.

The poll, released Thursday, finds that 47 percent of those surveyed do not support amending the state's Constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. Forty-four percent support the proposal and 9 percent either refused to answer or were undecided.

The ballot initiative is expected to receive heavy attention before the 2012 vote in November. Groups on both sides are expected to spend millions of dollars to persuade the public on the issue. Minnesota's constitution would be amended if a majority of those voting in that election vote in favor of the proposal.

The SCSU researchers also tried to measure how attitudes toward religion might affect answers to the marriage question. The survey found 57 percent of those who said religion was important in their lives were in favor of the amendment, compared to 29 percent of the group who said religion was not important.

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The direction of the state in general was part of the poll. The survey found that 55 percent think the state is on the wrong track. Twenty-six percent believe it's headed in the right direction.

A majority of those polled, or 55 percent, blame the state government shutdown on the Minnesota Legislature. Eighteen percent blame Gov. Dayton, and 18 percent say they're both to blame.

The poll surveyed 626 people between Oct. 17 and Oct. 26. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story said the poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent. The current version is correct.