Minnesota Marriage Amendment

MUST READ: Two independently conducted polls show NO leading the way on the mean-spirited marriage amendment!!

But it’s going to be nail-biting close. [read more]

As promised last night, posting more detail behind the latest poll from Public Policy Polling as it relates to the Minnesota marriage amendment. [read more]

I’ve been waiting ALL DAY for the final poll numbers to be released before the election… BREAKING NEWS: Public Policy Polling finds that amendment opposition has grown above 50% in Minnesota! [read more]

Check out the latest polling numbers released tonight from Washington State on marriage equality. I have a feeling you’re going to be reblogging this post! ;) [read more]

Find out just how close this fight is and what you can do to make an impact today… [read more]

Way back in June, I shared an inspiring video about the impact each of us has in telling our story. 67% of voters are more likely to vote against this mean-spirited amendment if they’ve heard from someone they know.

If you have any doubt, just take a look at the breakdown of numbers from the recently completed Star Tribune poll. [read more]

On a day when Minnesotans around the state are gathering for One Day United parties to continue the conversation and raise funds to defeat the mean-spirited marriage amendment, the Star Tribune has provided a much-needed boost of hope into the discussion. [READ MORE NOW!]

“Minnesota split on marriage amendment.” That’s the headline of a recent Public Policy Polling poll on the Minnesota marriage amendment. [more]

Yesterday’s polling numbers were a bit of sad news showing that, if we were to vote today, the mean-spirited marriage amendment would pass.

If you were left wondering, “Who is going to vote for this thing?” here is your answer.  [more]

Sharing some sad news tonight: Polling numbers released yesterday show the mean-spirited marriage amendment passing. According to the latest poll released by KSTP/SurveyUSA, the amendment has the needed 50 percent support to pass. [more]

Last week, I shared a story from MPR that spoke about the strong support marriage amendments have received from the African American community. In response to the post, some have asked the question, “Why would we single out the African American community, when we don’t do that with other groups?” In response, I would say that analysis does indeed single out many groups’ level of support. Polling numbers are sliced and diced in a plethora of ways. When we do that, we continue to see common trends around the support for marriage amendments:

• Higher support among older Americans
• Higher support among Republicans
• Slightly higher support from males
• Higher support from those that have less education
• Higher support from those that identify as Catholic

Now, does this mean that all Republicans will vote for the amendment? Of course not! Thankfully, we’ve got many Republicans on our side (we’d have no hope of defeating this thing in Minnesota if we didn’t). Similarly, it does not mean that all African Americans will vote for the amendment either. However, ignoring trends from previous elections because we don’t want anyone to feel singled out is a sure way to lose this election.

We need to talk about what the reality is and find ways to influence those voters. Just the other day, the Washington Post shared the story titled: “Obama and same-sex marriage: Will his stance cost him the African-American vote?” In the article, the Post shares the words of Reverend William Owens, a minister and vocal opponent of marriage equality:

Claiming to speak for thousands, he connected the prevalence of same-sex marriage to the collapse of the African-American family. And he threatened the president with a widespread revolt by black voters on Election Day. “He has not done a smart thing,” Owens said.

The Post references how other news organizations had picked up the story with headlines like, “Obama’s support for gay marriage ‘might cost him the election’” and then goes on to talk about how that reality is not a likely outcome.

However, if pre-polling and exit polling numbers are any indication, it is likely that many African Americans will vote for the marriage amendment (along with Republicans, males, older voters, less-educated voters and others). The question that we need to ask is: How do we make sure we amp up the conversations we’re having with ALL of these folks.

I still don’t fully understand how anyone (regardless of who it may be) could vote to limit the freedoms of another group within the state constitution.

Note: As I find analysis of polling numbers, I’ll continue to post. It’s not to single out any group (Republicans, Catholics, African Americans, etc.), but rather to highlight where we may need to do some extra work. If you’ve been following me since the beginning, you understand that my approach through all of this centers around two things: 1) Defeating this amendment and 2) Love. We all need to come together and figure out how we defeat this thing, and sometimes, that’s going to require us to have some uncomfortable conversations. Through all of this though, we need to remember why we’re fighting: because of love. Together, I think we can beat this thing in Minnesota, but make no mistake, it’s going to require a lot of work to do it. I hope you’re with me.

According to new polling numbers released July 22, amendment supporters now have a 15 point lead. The survey, conducted through SurveyUSA and KSTP-TV, found that 52 percent of respondents indicated that they would be voting for the amendment while only 37 percent opposed.

Many will argue, “Oh, this is just one poll…” but the reality is, these numbers are similar to what many other states have seen in their amendment fights.

Minnesota (and our friends and allies in other states), it’s time to take notice. We need to make sure our voices are louder than ever, that we’re telling our stories, that we’re talking to friends and family and that we’re out there in the workplace and communities talking about why this amendment is so bad for Minnesota.

Election day is just over 100 days away. The clock is ticking.

Note: additional information on the survey can be found at twincities.com.

In early July, Twin Cities Business released the results of a poll conducted with newsletter readers and social media followers. According to Twin Cities Business:

Roughly 65 percent of respondents to a recent Twin Cities Business poll said they believe the marriage amendment would have an impact on Minnesota businesses, and 50 percent said it is appropriate for companies to take a public stance on such issues.

The majority of respondents think that this amendment will have an impact on businesses. One respondent shared:

As the owner of a creative marketing business, that kind of intolerance sends a disastrous message to potential recruits/employees and clients.

So when the other side claims that this amendment will have no impact on businesses or Minnesota, it’s simply not true. Thomson Reuters, General Mills, Target Corp., RBC Wealth Management and others all know this and that’s why they’ve taken a public stand against the amendment. The more companies and businesses that start to realize this impact and take a stand, the more likely we will be at defeating this thing!

Note: The above poll received 183 individual responses. While the message this poll sends is great, I’d like to see the Star Trib or another organization do a similar poll across a much larger audience to get additional insight.

We’ve been polling the amendment for over a year and our most recent poll shows the race unchanged with support for the amendment in the mid‐fifties. And, every time the voters get a chance to vote on marriage, they affirm marriage as between one man and one woman. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but we expect Minnesota to be the 32nd state to define marriage as between one man and one woman in its constitution.

Chuck Darrell, Communications Director, Minnesota for Marriage
Source: Minnesota Public Radio

Chuck Darrell in response poll results released in early June that showed more Minnesotans opposing the marriage amendment on ballots this fall. I blogged about the results yesterday and my message  was very fitting in reading Darrell’s response. It is far too soon to celebrate as Darrell and team fully expect Minnesota to be the 32nd state to write discrimination into the state constitution.