Polling results

A majority of Virginia voters oppose same-sex marriage, but favor allowing gay couples to adopt, according to a poll released today by Quinnipiac University.

Fifty-two percent of Virginians oppose same-sex marriage, while 41 percent support it.

"The creation of same-sex marriage in New York does not necessarily signal a sea change in the marriage issue nationwide," wrote Chuck Donovan, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

Support for gay marriage in Virginia is concentrated among younger voters: 63 percent of voters under 35 support same-sex marriage, while only 29 percent oppose it. Among those who identified themselves as "evangelicals," 65 percent opposed same-sex marriage, while 31 percent supported it.

A thin majority, 51 percent, supports allowing same-sex couples to adopt children.

But when asked, "Do you think that: Church-run adoption agencies should be allowed to prevent an adoption if the prospective parents are gay or lesbian or don't you think so?" 48 percent said yes and 45 percent said no. There was a difference when it came to state-run agencies: 59 percent of voters surveyed said government-funded agencies should be required to allow gay couples to adopt.

These numbers come as New York approved gay marriage and an overwhelming number of comments pleaded with the Virginia Board of Social Services in May to allow faith-based adoption agencies to determine whether to place kids with gay couples ("Comments Closed," 5/23).

Virginia allows married couples and single people to adopt or become foster parents, regardless of sexual orientation, but bars unmarried couples from doing so. Thus, gay individuals can still adopt through organizations that choose to allow it. However, Christian organizations can decide not to place children in gay or lesbian homes if they believe doing so violates their religious convictions.

From June 21-27, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,434 registered voters by telephone with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.

The poll also showed a 55 percent job approval rating for Gov. Bob McDonnell, which Peter Brown, assistant director of Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, says is among the highest in the country. Only 26 percent of voters disapprove of McDonnell. Many Democratic voters like him personally but don't back his policies.

View the poll results.

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