Raleigh, N.C. – Oregon narrowly favors legal gay marriage, with 46% supporting it and 45% opposed. Democrats support it 74-20, Republicans oppose it 11-80 and independents oppose it 38-48. Men oppose legalization 45-48 but women support it 48-42. The standard generational gap for this issue is present in that voters age 18-29 support gay marriage 57-33 and voters age 30-45 support it 52-35, while voters age 46-65 oppose it 45-49 and those over the age of 65 oppose it 37-53. When voters are asked whether they support full gay marriage, civil unions only or no legal recognition at all of gay couples, 44% support gay marriage, 30% support civil unions but not gay marriage, and just 23% say there should be no legal recognition of gay marriage.
Voters narrowly say marijuana use should not be legalized, with 43% supporting legalization and 46% opposing it. Men support marijuana legalization 47-46 but women oppose it 39-45. Democrats support legalization 56-30, Republicans overwhelmingly oppose it 19-75 and independents favor it 47-38.
PPP also polled on several sports-related issues. Oregonians aren’t particularly interested in college sports – 31% call themselves University of Oregon fans, 27% are Oregon State fans, but 42% say they’re not sure who they prefer. Oregonians ambivalence towards sports extends to Major League Baseball. A plurality of voters – 42% – say they’d want an MLB team in Oregon, but 31% say they would not and 27% aren’t sure. But they aren’t willing to pay to get a team – just 19% say they would support using taxpayer money to house an MLB team, with 68% opposed.
When asked of their favorite MLB team, 16% choose the Mariners, 10% the Red Sox, and 7 other teams are in single digits while 40% choose “other” or say they don’t have a favorite team.
Oregonians are a bit more engaged with the NFL, with 16% choosing the Packers as their favorite team, 15% the Seahawks, 10% the 49ers, 8% the Cowboys, and 4 other listed teams get single digit support while 34% choose “someone else/not sure.”
PPP surveyed 686 Oregon voters from June 21st to 24th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-3.7%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you think same-sex marriage should be
legal or illegal?
Legal……………………………………………………… 46%
Illegal …………………………………………………….. 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%
Q2 Which of the following best describes your
opinion on gay marriage: gay couples should
be allowed to legally marry, or gay couples
should be allowed to form civil unions but not
legally marry, or there should be no legal
recognition of a gay couple’s relationship?
Gay couples should be allowed to legally
marry ……………………………………………………..44%
Gay couples should be allowed to form civil
unions but not marry …………………………………30%
There should be no legal recognition of a gay
couple’s relationship …………………………………23%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 3%
Q3 In general, do you think marijuana usage
should be legal or illegal?
Legal……………………………………………………… 43%
Illegal …………………………………………………….. 46%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%
Q4 Are you more an Oregon or Oregon State fan?
Oregon…………………………………………………… 31%
Oregon State ………………………………………….. 27%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 42%
Q5 Is your favorite Major League Baseball team
the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago
Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York
Yankees, Oakland Athletics, San Diego
Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle
Mariners, or someone else?
Braves …………………………………………………… 5%
Red Sox…………………………………………………. 10%
Cubs ……………………………………………………… 7%
Dodgers …………………………………………………. 4%
Yankees …………………………………………………. 6%
A’s…………………………………………………………. 3%
Padres …………………………………………………… 2%
Giants ……………………………………………………. 7%
Mariners…………………………………………………. 16%
Someone else/Don’t have a favorite team …… 40%
Q6 Would you like there to be a Major League
Baseball team in Oregon, or not?
Want an MLB team in Oregon …………………… 42%
Do not ……………………………………………………. 31%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 27%
Q7 Would you support the use of taxpayer money
to build a new ballpark in Portland to house a
Major League Baseball team, or not?
Would support taxpayer money for a Portland
ballpark …………………………………………………..19%
Would not……………………………………………….. 68%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%
Q8 Is your favorite NFL team the Dallas Cowboys,
Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, New
York Giants, Oakland Raiders, San Diego
Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle
Seahawks, or someone else?
Cowboys………………………………………………… 8%
Broncos………………………………………………….. 6%
Packers………………………………………………….. 16%
Giants ……………………………………………………. 3%
Raiders ………………………………………………….. 6%
Chargers………………………………………………… 2%
49ers……………………………………………………… 10%
Seahawks ………………………………………………. 15%
Someone else/Don’t have a favorite team …… 34%
Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the city of Portland?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 59%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 29%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%
Q10 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the city of Eugene?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 49%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 28%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 23%
Q11 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the city of Salem?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 41%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 28%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 31%
Q12 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the city of Bend?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 66%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 9%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 25%
Q13 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the city of Medford?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 40%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 18%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 43%
Q14 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the city of Corvallis?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 54%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 16%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 30%
Q15 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 40%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 51%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 9%
Q16 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 15%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 21%
Moderate………………………………………………… 27%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 22%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 15%
Q17 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 52%
Man……………………………………………………….. 48%
Q18 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 46%
Republican……………………………………………… 30%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 25%
Q19 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 91%
Other……………………………………………………… 9%
Q20 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 12%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 22%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 44%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 22%
