For the first time, a Washington Post poll shows 52 percent of Ohioans support same-sex marriage, and only 37 percent say it should be illegal.
With a margin of error of 4.5 points, it’s possible the September poll could be too optimistic, but the poll shows a sharp contrast to 2004, when 62 percent of Ohioans voted in favor of a constitutional amendment defining marriage between a man and a woman.
The poll also found support for same-sex marriage growing in Florida and Virginia. In Florida, 54 percent support same-sex marriage, while 33 percent say it should be illegal. In Virginia, 49 percent support same-sex marriage, and 40 percent want it to be illegal. Both are increases in support in comparison to previous years.
The news comes at a time when FreedomOhio is stepping up its efforts to get an amendment legalizing same-sex marriage in Ohio on the 2013 ballot.
CORRECTION:
This article originally credited Equality Ohio for the amendment. The amendment push is being led by FreedomOhio, a different pro-gay marriage organization.The campaign for Freedom to Marry Ohio, the amendment that would legalize same-sex marriage, previously touted an economic study that showed Ohio could bring in $100-126 million of economic growth within three years of legalizing same-sex marriage and sustain 1,160-1,450 Ohio jobs. In Hamilton County, same-sex marriage legalization would bring in $8.3 million. However, the study did not take into account a phenomenon dubbed “marriage tourism,” which involves same-sex couples visiting a state mostly to get married; so it’s possible the economic impact could be even greater than the study suggests.
The study also found that more than 9,800 out of more than 19,600 same-sex marriage couples in Ohio would marry within three years if it was legal, and nearly 900 out of nearly 1,800 in Hamilton County would marry within three years.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg previously touted same-sex marriage legalization for its economic boost to his city. He said it had produced $259 million in economic growth in New York City.
