Better News From Florida

The latest poll indicates that support for Florida's double-extra marriage ban is below the 60% passage requirement.

The poll of 600 likely voters shows support for Amendment 2 at 53 percent, less than the 60 percent approval rate required to change the constitution. The gay-marriage question is one of six statewide referendums on this year's lengthy ballot. The poll found uncertainty high on all of the rest, which range from tax breaks for homeowners who install hurricane protection to elimination of racist language from the state constitution. Backers of the gay-marriage ban say the poll should be a wakeup call to conservatives to vote. Opponents say the poll shows they have made progress in explaining that the proposal could jeopardize domestic partnership benefits that many governments and companies offer straight and gay employees.

The Florida legislature outlawed gay marriage in the late 90's. The current constitutional amendment ballot drive is meant to protect that law from challenge by those rotten "activist judges."