Yesterday I posted about the poll released by the National Organization for Marriage that found that 57 percent of Washington State voters oppose gay marriage. But the wording of the poll, among other details of the poll's methodology, was absent from NOM's website, and their PR firm never called me back with those details. Well, Slog tipper Lurleen delivered the full poll. Thanks, Lurleen!

The pollsters didn't ask if people believe same-sex couples should be allowed to marry, but instead they load the question by prefacing it with context about the domestic-partnership law and then ask if it's necessary to change the definition of marriage:

As you probably know, since 2010 Washington has had a civil union law which gives gay couples all the legal rights of married couples. Now some people want to pass a new law, which changes the definition of marriage, so that it is no longer between a man and a woman, but between any two people. Do you feel it is necessary or not necessary to pass now a new law which changes the definition of marriage in this way?

36% NECESSARY
57% NOT NECESSARY
7% DON’T KNOW/NO RESPONSE

I've always held that the only poll worth conducting—if your goal is finding out how people will actually vote—is a poll that attempts to replicate the same question voters will see on the ballot. Assuming the marriage bill passes in the legislature, as it looks ready to, and that the religious right places it on the ballot, as they look ready to, then the question on the ballot likely won't include contextual information about partnership bills. It would, in fact, be a question about approving or rejecting a marriage law that has already passed (not redefining man-and-lady love). It also won't ask voters whether they believe the measure is "necessary" or "not necessary." Which isn't the issue, because lots of folks have voted for things that aren't necessary (a pretty high bar) when it seems like the right thing to do.

To its credit, the poll did ask a less loaded question: If people "personally believe" marriage should be between one man and one woman. Fifty-two percent of respondents said yes. But again, that's not quite the question we'll likely be voting on.

The problem is: This poll from NOM isn't designed, apparently, to find out how people will vote. Rather, it's an attempt at argumentum ad populum, designed to make it appear that most voters oppose marriage equality. And NOM may be correct that most voters aren't there yet. However, this poll doesn't show that.

This poll is just more propaganda from NOM. Color you shocked, right?