Poll numbers for Prop 8

Excerpts of a San Francisco Chronicle article by John Wildermuth titled Prop. 8 still trails, but margin narrows

The struggle over Proposition 8, which would ban same-sex marriage in California, has tightened dramatically in the past month, with opponents holding a slim 49 to 44 percent edge among likely voters, according to a new Field Poll.

"The 'Yes' campaign has raised some doubts and moved people over to their side," said Mark DiCamillo, the poll's director. "A relatively large segment of voters are in conflict over this measure."

Opponents of Prop. 8 saw their 17-point lead in the September Field Poll melt away in the face of a multimillion-dollar onslaught of TV ads, leaving them hanging on desperately to their lead.

The poll showed just how divided voters are over same-sex marriage. Sixty-five percent of likely voters agreed that traditional marriage is "one of the cornerstones of the country's Judeo-Christian heritage" and 50 percent agreed that Prop. 8 restores the institution of traditional marriage without taking domestic partnership rights from gay or lesbian couples.

But 61 percent also agreed that Prop. 8 would deny one class of citizens "the dignity and responsibility of marriage" and 58 percent believe that domestic partnership laws don't give same-sex couples "the same certainty and security that marriage laws provide."

Voters 65 and older is the only age group that supports Prop. 8, while people in California's populous coastal region oppose the measure, 54 to 39 percent.

The entire article can be read here.