Iowans are split on whether they would vote for or against a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, according to a new Des Moines Register poll conducted by Selzer & Co. (Sept. 14-16, 803 A, MoE +/- 3.5%).

The state Supreme Court in April overturned Iowa's statutory ban on gay marriage, making it the first Midwestern state to legalize the practice. Since then Republicans in the state legislature have been working to amend the constitution.

The poll found that 40 percent of the voting age public would vote to continue gay marriage, while 41 percent said they would vote to end it. Twice as many people say they are strongly against gay marriage (35 percent) as say they are strongly in favor of it (18 percent) -- showing which side of the debate has the most intensity.

"The issue has taken on prominence in the early stages of the 2010 race for governor, as potential Republican candidates jockey for favor with primary voters," the Register reports, however most say this is not the most important issue. Former Iowa GOP Chairman Mike Mahaffey said the economy will trump gay marriage.