A growing number of Texas voters support the freedom to marry for gays and lesbians, according to new polls released today by Equality Texas and University of Texas/Texas Tribune.
The Equality Texas poll was similar to one commissioned by the organization in 2010 and asked about 11 key issues, including discrimination, domestic partner benefits and relationship recognition.
The biggest change was that 47.9 percent of voters support marriage equality compared to 47.5 percent who oppose it. In 2010, 42.7 percent of voters supported marriage equality.
The poll also found that 64.7 percent of voters support civil unions, compared to the 63.1 percent who favored it three years ago.
The poll was conducted by Glengariff Group, Inc. and surveyed 1,000 voters between Jan. 24-27. It has a margin of error of 3.1 percent.
Other areas with a high increase in support were making medical decisions for a partner, inheriting possessions without a will, extending domestic partnership benefits to government and public university employees, and recognizing same-sex marriages from other states.
A University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll also released today found that 37 percent believe gay and lesbian Texans should be able to marry, 28 percent answered they should have civil unions and 28 percent said they shouldn’t have either.
As for what they feel is the most important issue facing Texas, 0 percent answered gay marriage. Only 1 percent answered that gay marriage is the most important problem facing America today.
The results are close to a similar October 2012 poll that found 36 percent support marriage equality, 33 percent support civil unions and 25 percent don’t support either.
That poll questioned 1,200 respondents between Feb. 15-25, with a 3.3 percent margin or error.
A summary of the Equality Texas finding is below.