Majority Support for Marriage Equality in NJ

August 20, 2008

TRENTON, NJ—A majority of New Jersey residents favors marriage equality for same-sex couples over civil unions, according to a poll released Tuesday.

The Zogby Poll found an even bigger majority would not be opposed to lawmakers changing the civil union law to marriage equality.

The poll, commissioned by Garden State Equality, found that by 59 to 36 percent, New Jerseyans would be fine with public officials’ changing the civil union law to marriage equality.

The poll reminded voters that New Jersey already has a civil union law, and found a majority of New Jersey still supports marriage for same-sex couples – 50.1 to 42.3 percent. And 69 percent of New Jerseyans said that marriage equality is inevitable in the state.

In response to the question: Currently, New Jersey lets same-sex couples enter only into civil unions, while California and Massachusetts give same-sex couples the freedom to marry. Do you support or oppose same-sex couples in New Jersey also getting the freedom to marry? 50.1 percent said support. 42.3 percent said oppose.

In response to the question: If public officials conclude that the civil union law has not worked to provide same-sex couples the legal protections that marriage would, and that New Jersey should fix the problem by giving same-sex couples the freedom to marry, would you be fine with that or upset by that? 59 percent said, fine with that; 36 percent said, upset by that.

No one should doubt the meaning of these numbers, said Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality. New Jersey wants to end discrimination in marriage, and is ready for our public officials to do it right now.The civil union law is one the greatest civil rights failures of our time.New Jersey sees that, and understands that justice delayed is justice denied.

New Jersey also wants Gov. Corzine to follow the lead of New York Gov. David Paterson, who has recognized legal out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples in his own state. In response to the question: Same-sex couples can already be legally married in places outside New Jersey, including California and Massachusetts. Do you think New Jersey should recognize those marriages as marriages in New Jersey? 57 percent said yes and 37 percent said no.

In 2006, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled same-sex couples must have all the rights of marriage.

The Court gave the New Jersey State Legislature 180 days to act on the decision to grant same-sex couples the rights and benefits enjoyed by different-sex married couples, but left it up to the legislators to decide whether to call it marriage or civil unions.

The legislature opted for civil unions. But that amounts to separate but equal, said civil rights groups.

A commission established by the state to study same-sex civil unions in New Jersey agrees with that argument.

The commission held three public hearings last year at which the majority of the testimony came from people who were in civil unions and said they were still not being treated the way married couples are by government agencies, employers and others.

For instance, the commission found that many companies in the state that are self-insured - and therefore are regulated by federal, rather than state, law - refuse to provide health insurance to the partners of their employees.

A bill to allow for same-sex marriage has been filed in the New Jersey legislature but has gained little support from either House of Senate leaders.

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