Arkansas's
Proposed Initiative Act 1, which would prevent any couple
who is not married from adopting or caring for a
foster child, looks headed for failure, according to
the recently released Arkansas Poll.
The drastic
measure on November's ballot is opposed by 55% of
Arkansas's conservative electorate, and supported by 38%.
Proponents of the measure -- which needs over 50% of
votes to pass -- advocated for Act 1 as a way to
prevent gays and lesbians from adopting children in the
state. Arkansas voters may have been turned off the sweeping
nature of the act, which Arkansas
Families First is fighting to defeat.
"Personal
feelings about an issue can be different from policy
preferences," said Janine Parry, the poll's director and a
professor of political science at the University of
Arkansas. "After looking at this issue for several
years, it seems to me that many Arkansans -- both
liberals and conservatives -- are uncomfortable dictating
the family arrangements of others, whether they agree
with them or not." (Neal Broverman, The
Advocate)