By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman
LANSING – A new poll by Lansing-based EPIC/MRA shows 47 percent of Michigan voters support a court ruling that allows governments and universities to provide benefits for the partners of gay workers, while 39 percent oppose it and 14 percent are undecided.
Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm wants the state Civil Service Commission to approve domestic partner benefits for state employees now that Ingham County Circuit Judge Joyce Draganchuk court has ruled in favor of the benefits. But Republican Attorney General Mike Cox disagrees and is appealing the court ruling, despite repeated assertions from the anti-gay industry during the November campaign that Proposal 2, the anti-gay marriage amendment, was about upholding "traditional" marriage and would not affect benefits.
Forty-seven percent of those surveyed in the poll released Oct. 26 said they supported Granholm's position, while 39 percent backed Cox's stance. Fourteen percent were undecided.
Michelle Brown, a former organizer with the Coalition for a Fair Michigan, the organization formed to fight the anti-gay family ballot proposal last November, wasn't surprised by the poll's results.
"I think if people had known Proposal 2 was going to affect domestic partner benefits they never would have voted for it. Many people, when told that it would affect domestic partner benefits, stepped back and took another look at their support [for Prop 2]. So I was not surprised by it [the poll]. I think the people understand equality and equal rights. Domestic partner benefits are about protecting equal rights and about protecting families, and no one is against families. At least, no one in their right mind is against families."
Triangle Foundation Director of Policy Sean Kosofsky, went further saying that the poll was flawed and did not show the strong support that actually exists for protecting the state's LGBT-headed families.
"I don't believe that poll is accurate. Poll after poll has shown that clear majorities of the American public support domestic partner benefits," he said. "Over 60 percent of the public supports these benefits. It all depends on how you ask the question. People should not be mislead by those numbers. If you ask people 'Do you support domestic partner benefits?' it's overwhelming how supportive people are."
Additional reporting provided by The Associated Press.
