Poll Watch: ABC News/Washington Post Survey on Same-Sex Marriage

ABC News/Washington Post Poll on Gay Marriage

Do you think it should be legal or illegal for gay and lesbian couples to get married? 

• Legal 58%
• Illegal 36%

Among Democrats

• Legal 72%
• Illegal 23%

Among Republicans

• Legal 34%
• Illegal 59%

Among Independents 

• Legal 62%
• Illegal 33%

Among Moderates

• Legal 71%
• Illegal 24%

Among Men

• Legal 54%
• Illegal 39%

Among Women

• Legal 61%
• Illegal 34%

Do you think each state should make its own law on whether same-sex marriage is legal or illegal there, or do you think this should be decided for all states on the basis of the U.S. Constitution?

• Each state should make its own law 33%
• Should be decided for all states on basis of Constitution 64%

Do you think being homosexual is something that people choose to be, or do you think it's just the way they are?   

• Something that people choose 24%
• Just the way they are 62%
  

Survey of 1,001 adults was conducted March 7-10, 2013. The margin of error is +/- 3.5 percentage points. Party ID: 33% Democrat; 25% Republican; 35% Independent.

Inside the numbers: 

Among young adults age 18 to 29, support for gay marriage is overwhelming, hitting a record high of 81 percent in the new poll. Support has also been increasing among older adults, but those aged 65 years old and up remain opposed, on balance: 44 percent say same-sex marriage should be legal; 50 percent say illegal.

A slim majority of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents under 50 years old now support gay marriage. Nearly seven in 10 of those aged 65 and up oppose it, although that is down from more than eight in 10 just four years ago.