Poll shows Californians oppose gay marriage ban

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Californians appear poised to support the right to same-sex marriage when they go to the polls on Tuesday but support for a ballot measure to ban the practice has increased in recent weeks, a poll showed on Friday.

The latest Field Poll conducted from October 18 to Tuesday showed the proposed ban on same-sex marriage failing, with 49 percent opposing the ban and 44 supporting it. Opposition to the ban was stronger in September, when 55 percent opposed it and 38 percent supported it.

The poll of 966 likely voters had a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points.

California's Supreme Court recognized same-sex couples' right to marry in a May decision, putting the most populous U.S. state among a handful of U.S. states and mostly European nations that allow it.

Proposition 8 on Tuesday's ballot would change the California Constitution to eliminate the right, limiting marriage to male-female couples.

Since the court decision, tens of millions of dollars have flowed into California as liberals and conservatives wage battle over the ballot issue.

(Reporting by Peter Henderson; Editing by Peter Cooney)