Star TribA year before they face the issue on the ballot, 48 percent of Minnesotans favor such an amendment while 43 percent oppose it. That falls within the poll's margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
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The poll of 807 adults statewide, conducted Nov. 2-3, shows that battle lines will be drawn on clear partisan, generational, educational and geographic fractures.
The poll may reflect some shifting opinions among Minnesota voters. In May of this year, just before the constitutional question was approved by the Legislature, 55 percent of respondents in a Minnesota Poll said they opposed the amendment while 39 percent favored a constitutional ban on gay marriage.
Amendment supporter Chuck Darrell, communications director for Minnesota for Marriage, said the early signs of support reflected in the recent Minnesota Poll was good news for his side. He said even though the lead in favor of the amendment is slim, it may reflect even more support.
Darrell said in other states, notably California and Maine, early polling showed marriage amendments failing. But when voters are in the secrecy of their voting booths, he said, they supported the amendments.
"People tend to give the politically correctly answer" on marriage amendment polls, he said.
