52% of those polled by Quinnipiac University support the court's decision, compared to 39% against and 9% undecided. When asked directly if gays should be allowed to marry, 43% supported full marriage rights, while 39% supported civil unions and 12% were against any legal recognition for same-sex couples.

"Connecticut voters are not in love with same-sex marriage as a bare majority backs the State Supreme Court decision to allow same-sex couples to wed," said Director Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., the university's Poll Director. "But four out of five voters support some legal recognition for same-sex unions and by almost 2 to 1, voters do not want to change the State Constitution to ban same-sex marriage."

61% of those polled opposed amending the state constitution to define marriage as strictly heterosexual, while 33% supported such a move. Republicans were about evenly split, with 49% supporting and 46% opposing an amendment, while Democrats opposed 73%-23% and independents 58%-34%.

On October 10, 2008, Connecticut became the third state to affirm the equal right to marry, behind Massachusetts and California, when its Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that same-sex couples could not be denied full marriage rights under the state constitution, and that the existing civil unions law did not provide rights equal to those afforded heterosexuals.

"Interpreting our state constitutional provisions in accordance with firmly established equal protection principles leads inevitably to the conclusion that gay persons are entitled to marry the otherwise qualified same sex partner of their choice," Justice Richard N. Palmer said in the majority opinion.

Governor M. Jodi Rell, while in disagreement with the ruling, conceded in an October statement. "The Supreme Court has spoken," she said. "I do not believe their voice reflects the majority of the people of Connecticut. However, I am also firmly convinced that attempts to reverse this decision--either legislatively or by amending the state Constitution--will not meet with success."