Date: Fri, 17 May 1996 16:32:54 -0700 From: Ron Buckmire Subject: POLL RESULTS on MARRIAGE from American Online AMERICA ONLINE SURVEY RESULTS May 16, 1996 ***49% of AOL members believe same-sex marriages should be denied federal recognition. A bill to keep states from being forced to recognize marriages between people of the same sex was introduced to both chambers of Congress last week. The bill was prompted by a pending legal case in Hawaii that may result in that state recognizing same-sex marriages. Under the U.S. Constitution, the other 49 states would have to accept those marriages as valid. AOL decided to ask it's members if they would support legislation denying same-sex marriages the same recognition as marriage between two heterosexual individuals. Here's what you had to say: RESULTS: Of the 22,634 responses we received, 49 percent said they would would support legislation denying federal recognition of same-sex marriages. By a very narrow margin 47 percent said they would not deny same-sex marriages the same rights as heterosexual marriages. 2.75 percent were undecided. RESULTS IN DETAIL: 11,168 responded "Yes" to denying federal recognition. 10,842 responded "No" to denying federal recognition. 624 were undecided. 22,634 total responses Remember, this is not a scientific survey [because people can vote an unlimited number of times]. We're just trying to get a general sense of the AOL community's feelings on a variety of topics.