HRC Back Story

As we've reported here previously, next month a Vermont legislative commission will release a report on whether Vermonters feel that the state, which currently has civil unions, is ready to extend marriage to same-sex couples.  State rep. Tom Little (R), chairman of the 11-member Vermont Commission on Family Recognition, expects the report to be completed the week of April 15. While committee members are reportedly keeping mum on the findings of the report (a draft report is now circulating), recent polls show changing attitudes in the state in favor of marriage equality:

The report will come out at a time when Vermonters seem increasingly open to the idea of expanding marriage rights to same-sex couples. A scientific poll of 400 Vermonters, which has a 5 percent margin of error, found 44.25 percent of participants responding yes to the statement, "I support legal marriage for gay and lesbian couples."

That compares with 30.75 percent of Vermonters who responded yes to the statement, "I do not support legal marriage for gay and lesbian couples." Another 12.25 percent indicated they are leaning toward same-sex marriage; 5.25 percent said they leaned toward opposing it.

Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Doyle's unscientific poll of Vermonters taken on Town Meeting Day also showed strong support for same-sex marriage, with 54 percent in favor and 37 percent against.

"Looking at this poll, especially in light of the findings in the Doyle poll, it's clear that there is strong support for full marriage equality across the state," said Beth Robinson, the chairwoman of the Vermont Freedom to Marry Taskforce, which paid for the February poll.

Massachusetts is still the only state in the U.S. that allows same-sex couples to marry.