Massachusetts split over marriage amendment

In the first test of public opinion since the lawmakers' historic vote on March 29, the proposed amendment to the state constitution fell short of getting majority support in the poll, with 47 percent backing the measure and 47 opposing it.

40 percent of those surveyed supported gay marriage while 28 percent supported a ban on gay marriage but that would also provide for civil unions. The people who strongly opposed both legalizing gay marriage and authorizing same-sex civil unions represented only 17 percent of the poll sample.