Forty-six percent of Americans favor an amendment, while 45 percent say the states should be left to make their own laws on the issue. Just a month ago, by contrast, 58 percent wanted it left to the states. Much of the change has occurred in the West — an apparent backlash to the same-sex marriages now occurring in San Francisco.

Apart from views on a constitutional amendment, opposition to homosexual marriages remains firm. Fifty-five percent in this ABCNEWS/Washington Post poll say they should be illegal, steady since last fall. And the intensity of sentiment is twice as strong among opponents: Forty-nine percent of Americans feel "strongly" that same-sex marriages should be illegal, while just 25 percent "strongly" want them legal.

Sampling, data collection and tabulation for this poll were done by TNS Intersearch.

Still, there's a closer division on civil unions for gay couples, with 45 percent in favor and 48 percent opposed. And the intensity of sentiment on civil unions — which Bush today said should be left to the states — is less lopsided than it is on gay marriage.

Bush and the leading Democratic contenders for president oppose same-sex marriage, but the Democrats also oppose a constitutional amendment to ban it. John Kerry supports legal civil unions; John Edwards supports domestic partner benefits for same-sex couples but has not taken a position on civil unions, saying it should be up to the states.

Bush, too, hasn't endorsed civil unions, but said today that states should be allowed "to make their own choices in defining legal arrangements other than marriage." In effect, he's splitting the difference on this issue — proposing to ban gay marriages but leaving civil unions up to the states — not unlike his half-a-loaf position on stem-cell research.

Amendment or States' Decisions?
Date	Support Amendment	State Laws
Feb. 22	46%	45%
Jan. 18	38%	58%

Bush's support for an amendment plays to his core support groups in this election year. What remains to be seen, though, is whether it helps, hurts, or has no effect in the center, among such groups as independents and moderates. "No effect" might be the outcome; gay marriage consistently has placed very low on voters' priority lists, far outstripped by concerns about the economy, national security, health care, education and others.

Seventy-three percent of Republicans, conservatives and evangelical white Protestants alike — Bush's core groups — say gay marriage should be illegal. Majorities in each group, albeit smaller ones, favor a constitutional amendment to ban it — 64 percent of white evangelical Protestants, 58 percent of Republicans and 56 percent of conservatives.

Should Same-Sex Couples Be Allowed Civil Unions?
Date	Should	Should Not	No Opinion
Feb. 22, 2004	45	48	7
Jan. 18, 2004	46	51	4
Sept. 7, 2003	40	51	9

The gap between opposition to gay marriage and support for an amendment among these core groups underscores its political complexity. It suggests that even some of the base opponents of gay marriage are unwilling to amend the Constitution, and extend the reach of the federal government, on this issue.

Independents, moreover, are more apt to favor letting the states make their own laws than amending the Constitution, and divide on whether such marriages should be allowed. And both white Catholics — a key swing voter group — and non-evangelical white Protestants — an important pro-Republican group — are much less likely than evangelical Protestants to oppose gay marriage, or to support a constitutional ban.

Are Same-Sex Marriages Legal?
Date	Legal	Illegal	No Opinion
Feb. 22, 2004	39	55	6
Jan. 18, 2004	41	55	4
Sept. 7, 2003	31	55	7

Still, perhaps because of reaction to the events in California, Bush is in a better position on this issue than last month, when a majority even of Republicans favored state control of homosexual marriage laws. The views of many Democrats also have shifted — in January, Democrats opposed an amendment by nearly 2-1; now they divide about evenly.

Views of same-sex marriage
	Legal	Illegal	Amend Constitution	Leave to the States
All	39%	55	46	45
Republicans	24	73	58	36
Democrats	47	48	44	48
Independents	44	48	35	56
Conservative	23	73	56	37
Liberal	63	34	38	54
Moderate	42	50	41	50
White Protestants:
Evangelical	23	73	64	29
Non-evangelical	46	49	40	52
White Catholics	46	48	36	59

As noted, the biggest change has occurred in the West. There, in January, 30 percent supported a constitutional amendment, while 66 percent wanted the issue left up to the states. Now, 42 percent favor an amendment, and 44 percent want states to decide.

Passage of an amendment isn't a given, especially in light of the public split on the issue. Constitutional amendments require two-thirds support in the U.S. House and Senate and ratification by three-fourths of states, a process that generally takes years.

Marriage

This is the third straight ABC/Post poll since September in which 55 percent of Americans oppose same-sex marriages. As noted, opponents are twice as likely as supporters to feel strongly about it. Strong opposition peaks at about two in three Republicans, conservatives and evangelical white Protestants. Strong support is highest among non-religious Americans (47 percent) and liberals (45 percent).

Age and marital status also help shape opinions, with younger adults far more accepting of gay marriage. About three in four senior citizens say same-sex marriages should be illegal (two in three strongly), but 54 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds say they should be legal (more than one in three strongly). Six in 10 married people oppose gay marriages, while those who aren't married divide on the question.

Civil Unions

Opinion of civil unions is more closely divided, and opponents again are more likely to hold strong feelings, but less overwhelmingly so. Forty-eight percent say civil unions that give homosexuals some legal rights of married couples should not be allowed, including 41 percent who feel strongly about it. Forty-five percent say these unions should be allowed, including 30 percent who feel that way strongly.

Again, age and marital status help shape these views. Sixty percent of younger Americans, but only 27 percent of senior citizens, favor civil unions. Most unmarried people support the idea, while a majority of those who are married reject it.

There's a gender gap here as well. Men are more likely to oppose civil unions, by 52 percent to 41 percent. Women divide, with 49 percent in favor, 45 percent opposed.

Religion's Role

Religious belief and practice play a strong role in these views. Most Protestants oppose same-sex civil unions and marriages and favor a constitutional ban; most Catholics would allow civil unions, and half say states should decide whether same-sex marriages are legal. Catholics divide on the marriage question itself.

There are divisions within each group. Among Catholics, the dividing line is between those who attend Mass weekly and those who don't. Among white Protestants, as noted, it's between evangelicals and non-evangelicals. Catholics who attend church weekly, and evangelical Protestants, are much more apt to say same-sex marriages should be illegal and to back a constitutional amendment banning them.

Across Borders

Lastly there's the issue of whether, if homosexual marriages are legal in one state, other states should be required to recognize them — a concern raised by Bush today. Fifty-four percent of Americans say no, other states should not recognize such marriages, while 41 percent say they should — roughly the same proportions as opposition or support for gay marriage overall.

Methodology

This ABCNEWS/Washington Post poll was conducted by telephone Feb. 18-22 among a random national sample of 1,028 adults. The results have a three-point error margin. Sampling, data collection and tabulation was conducted by TNS Intersearch of Horsham, Pa.

Previous ABCNEWS polls can be found in our Poll Vault.