Votes for Marriage Equality Have Solid Lead in Australia

A recent Newspoll states that votes for legalizing same-sex marriage in Australia are commanding a substantial lead in the ongoing postal survey, 59 percent to 38 percent, reports The Guardian. The poll also projects that public support for marriage equality will prevail when the survey concludes on November 7.

Although two-thirds of Australian citizens have already taken part in the survey, it is not legally binding; Parliament will still need to act to establish marriage equality. However, members of the Labor caucus hope that if the "yes" votes win, they can use the momentum to legislate marriage equality as early as a week after the Australian Bureau of Statistics releases the result in mid-November.

Newspoll found that 65 percent of respondents have already voted, with another 19 percent stating they will definitely vote and 6 percent saying they probably will before the survey closes.