6 in 10 California Voters Support Gay Marriage

Photo by Jamison Wieser/Flickr/Creative Commons License

Support for gay marriage across California is rising. A poll released today shows that six in 10 voters in the state believe same-sex marriage should be legal.

The USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll found that from three years ago, support for gay marriage has increased from 52 percent to 58 percent. Support is strongest in the Bay Area followed by the rest of Northern California, the Central Coast, and then Los Angeles County at 58%.

Seniors in particular are shifting toward support of same-sex marriage. Californians over the age of 65 are evenly split on the matter, with 47 percent opposed and 46 percent for legalization -- an 11 point jump from a 2010 survey. Younger voters ages 18 to 29 continue to dominate in terms of support, with 76-21 percent in favor.

Californians banned same-sex marriage in 2008 by a vote of 52 percent to 48 percent when they approved Prop 8. The Supreme Court will decide this month whether the ban will continue. Meanwhile, a nationwide poll conducted by the New York Times and CBS News found that a majority of Americans oppose a broad national right to same-sex marriage.