The Sacramento Bee reports of a new Field Poll:
A constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage in California has lost support during the past two months and now trails by a 17-point margin.
Just 38 percent of likely voters back Proposition 8 while 55 percent say they will vote against the Nov. 4 ballot measure, according to a new Field Poll. In July, the measure trailed by nine points.
Since then, the heading on the ballot summary – which began with the words “Limit on Marriage” on petitions to gather signatures for the measure – has been changed on voter pamphlets to read “Eliminates right of same-sex couples to marry.”
Attorney General Jerry Brown decided to change the wording after the state Supreme Court in May overturned a ban on gay marriages in California.
In the new poll, half the respondents were read the original summary and the other half the amended version to test voter reaction.
The level of support did not waver – in each case, only 38 percent of likely voters said they intended to vote for the measure.