Few subjects are as tricky to poll as gay marriage.
Elon University Poll head Hunter Bacot said that he was very careful when coming up with questions about same-sex marriage for a recent poll.
He said that answers can differ depending on whether the pollster asks about "gay marriage," "same-sex marriage," or "homosexual marriage." Earlier questions about "gay and lesbian rights" can also frame the issue differently.
The three questions that Bacot came up with first tested people's underlying principles, then asked about an amendment, then gave them information about state laws.
He deliberately avoided using the words "gays and lesbians" anywhere in the questions or the word "ban" to describe the amendment (instead saying it would "prevent" same-sex marriages).
"I think the terminology can make a difference," he said. "When you mix-and-match the terminology, it can evoke different things."
Correction: An earlier version of this post said that Elon had not polled this issue before. It has polled gay marriage, but not an amendment.
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