HAMILTON, Bermuda (CMC) — Bermudans will vote in a referendum this week— the first to be held here in 21 years — week with an opinion poll showing a clear majority of voters are opposed to the introduction of same-sex marriage on the island.

The poll, commissioned by the Royal Gazette newspaper, showed the campaign against same-sex marriage — led by the island’s majority black population — had an eight-point lead over the campaign in favour.

However, those in favour of same-sex civil unions outnumbered those against by 13 percentage points.

Pollsters asked 402 registered voters the same two questions they will face in Thursday’s referendum, the result of which will be non-binding, the ruling One Bermuda Alliance government has said.

Home Affairs Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin has announced that no churches will be used as polling stations for the referendum.

She said schools would largely be used for the ballot.

Responding to the suggestion that holding a non-binding referendum was pointless, she said: “It absolutely is not a waste of time.

“When you have an issue put to the Government to consider, it’s very important that we at least identify where people stand.”

Her announcement came on the heels of an order granted by Chief Justice Ian Kawaley just over a week, which quashed a decision to have six churches among the 12 polling stations across the island.

Justice Kawaley said voting had to take place at neutral locations to “ensure an appearance of a fair electoral or referendum process”.

Responding to the first question, “Are you in favour of same-sex marriage in Bermuda?” 41 per cent of people polled said yes, 49 per cent said no and 10 per cent did not know.

Responding to the second question, “Are you in favour of same-sex civil unions in Bermuda?”, 52 per cent said yes, 39 per cent no and nine per cent did not know.

The margin of error for the poll, conducted between June 6 and 13, is plus or minus five per cent.

In the last referendum, held in 1995, almost three-quarters of voters rejected independence from Britain.

The same-sex marriage question has produced close results in all surveys commissioned by the Gazette over the past year. Three months ago, 45 per cent of people said they were in favour, with 48 per cent against.

Last October, 48 per cent were in favour, with 44 per cent against.

A breakdown of the new results shows most support for same-sex marriage comes from whites and younger people.

Among whites, 71 per cent were in favour and 19 per cent against. Among blacks, who make up 55 per cent of the island’s 65,000 population, 25 per cent were in favour and 66 per cent against.

Regarding same-sex civil unions, the white population was overwhelmingly in favour, with 82 per cent agreeing and 12 per cent opposing. Among blacks, 35 per cent were in favour, with 53 per cent against.

One black person who has declared his intention to vote in favour of same-sex marriage and civil unions is former Premier Sir John Swan, who championed independence for this British Overseas Territory. He retired from politics after the electorate voted overwhelmingly against cutting ties with Britain.

Sir John, 80, who led the now-defunct United Bermuda Party between 1982 and 1995 and has been named as the island’s newest national hero, said he had “evolved” since he voted against a parliamentary bill which struck down the island’s anti-sodomy laws.

He said he now recognised the “most important aspect of life is natural justice” for all.

“The gay issue is not an issue in my house,” Sir John, who becomes the first living national hero of the eight named so far, said. “Everybody is the same. I have three children. They don’t have a lick of reservation in supporting this measure, nor do I. I very clearly and emphatically support the ‘yes’ vote. We all should be treated equally.”

Sir John said he made his decision on the 1994 bill with his head and not his heart, but would now be voting “with my head and my heart in favour of same-sex marriage”.

Sir John said that back in 1994, as leader of the country, he had much sympathy with the private member’s bill tabled by John Stubbs, a member of his cabinet, but he also had sympathy with the churches, which opposed the legislation.

He said he told Stubbs “if it needs my vote to pass, I’ll vote for it, but if it doesn’t, I’ll support the churches. I, as the leader, decided to support the wishes of the church by not supporting the bill.”

The bill passed by 22-16, with then-Opposition Leader Frederick Wade voting in favour of it. Sir John said he did not regret the way he voted then because “they were different times”.

“The world has made a significant change. My ideas have evolved, and I have always believed in natural human justice. but then, I felt as though the church was a major institution in our society that you just couldn’t ignore. I have evolved and recognised that the most important aspect of life is natural justice.

“Through my experiences with my own children — who have a number of friends who are gay — and my own experiences, as I have gay friends who are contemporaries, there is a whole encompassing of my relationship with the gay community. I never could see myself as doing something that would curtail their rights,” Sir John said.