"Closing arguments take place Wednesday in the trial on Prop 8 -- the voter approved ban on same-sex marriage in California. A new study looks at the effectiveness of ballot campaigns for and against same-sex marriage and the results could be a game changer."

Carolyn Tyler reports:

New York University researcher Patrick Egan, Ph.D., considers his findings groundbreaking.

He reviewed a decade of voter surveys in 32 states with same sex-marriage measures on the ballot.

What this research does is say, 'Here's the conventional wisdom about these things and the conventional wisdom is wrong,'" says Egan.

The most startling conclusion is campaigns like those for and against Prop 8 really don't change voter opinions.

"We find no consistent change toward support for marriage equality or opposition, over the course of the typical campaign," says Egan.

His research is likely to shift the battle to change hearts and minds away from the heat of a campaign. READ MORE