Moral values and the 2004 election: Moral values and gay and lesbian rights low on the list of concerns to voters, polling shows

November 4, 2004

Though many have speculated that same-sex marriage cost John Kerry the 2004 presidential election, there is no evidence to back this up.

Kerry’s loss was not contingent on the various same-sex marriage bans on the ballot:

Election exit polls found that only two percent of voters rank gay rights as a top concern;
Eight of the 11 states with anti-same-sex-marriage amendments on the ballot have gone Republican in most or all of the recent presidential elections anyway;
In Michigan and Oregon, anti-same-sex-marriage amendments were approved. Voters in those states also backed Kerry over Bush.

Report

downloads/reports/reports/MoralIssues2004.pdf