Poll: 58% of Americans Support Marriage Equality

A new ABC News/Washington Post poll finds the highest ever proportion of Americans supporting the right of same-sex couples to legally wed.

A striking 58% of respondents voiced support for marriage equality -- compare that to only 32% saying the same thing when asked nine years ago in a similar poll. Support for same-sex marriage rights rose among all groups, including conservatives and Republicans. Strikingly, 81% of those under the age of 30 believe in marriage equality.

Americans also believe the U.S. Constitution should lead the way in deciding how states handle same-sex marriage, with 64% declaring it a federal issue, according to the poll. The belief that being gay is a choice seems to be fading, at least according to the numbers; only 24% think people choose to be gay.

The poll was conducted earlier this month with 1,001 individuals. Read more here.