Less than a week before Election Day, Utahns continue to solidly back a controversial state constitutional amendment that would define marriage as between a man and a woman, excluding all other unions. But a proposed initiative that would allow the state to bond for $150 million for the purchase of open space and other critical lands continues to divide residents and is too close to call.

A new Salt Lake Tribune poll shows that support for Amendment 3 has slipped by a couple of percentage points since the previous Tribune poll taken Sept. 24-29. But in the new survey the amendment still commands 59 percent support, with 33 percent opposing the measure and just 7 percent undecided.

Support for Initiative 1, which calls for a small (one-twentieth of a cent) sales-tax increase to fund the purchase and preservation of watersheds, wildlife habitat and ranch and farm lands, actually has increased slightly since the last poll.

Despite spending $1.1 million to tout the ballot measure, Initiative 1 supporters find themselves trailing 39 percent to 35 percent. However, with a continuing large bloc of undecided voters - 25 percent - the outcome is still up for grabs.

The statewide Tribune survey of 1,200 registered voters was conducted between Oct. 21-26. It has a plus-minus margin of error of 2.8 percent.

Amendment 3 has wide support among both men and women, with 58 percent of males and 59 percent of females supporting it. Butdistinct splits along party and religious lines are revealed. Nearly 77 percent of Republicans back Amendment 3, compared to only 23 percent of Democrats. While 74 percent of LDS voters support the amendment, only 42 percent of Protestants and 20 percent of Catholics planned to vote for it.

Despite a lack of money to spend opposing Initiative 1 - just over $20,000, according to campaign finance disclosures - foes of the ballot measure say their message is still getting through, thanks in part to opposition from Gov. Olene Walker, GOP leaders and the Utah Taxpayers Association.

Initiative 1 sponsors, meanwhile, say they are paying more attention to their own polling, which shows the initiative with more than a 20 percentage-point lead.

Initiative 1 also breaks down somewhat along party lines in The Tribune survey, with only 29 percent of Republicans favoring the measure, in contrast with 53 percent of Democrats. Older voters (ages 60-74) also tend to oppose the measure. Initiative 1 has its biggest bloc of support among 18-24-year-old voters (44.2 percent).

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Tribune reporter Rebecca Walsh contributed to this story.