TRENTON – A straw poll of lower chamber lawmakers and aides turned up 34 votes in favor of marriage equality, a pre-emptive tally confirmed by one of the bill’s sponsors.

The bill, A1, sponsored by Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, (D-15), Trenton, Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, (D-34), East Orange, and seven other Democrats, is being heard by the Assembly Judiciary Committee Thursday.

Gusciora said he also had the headcount at 34 lawmakers in favor. “Those are solid and then we’ve been talking with others,” he said. “I still think we’re in good striking distance. There are persuadable people.”

He also said others might be persuadable if Gov. Chris Christie would allow members to vote outside of the Republican bloc. As it stands, only one Republican in the lower chamber, Mary Pat Angelini, (R-11), Ocean Township, is in favor of the bill. Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, (R-13), Little Silver, said he is weighing the issue.

The bill is expected to be approved in committee Thursday, but still does not have 41 votes needed for full passage. Democratic insiders are confident that the list will grow to the necessary votes when the time for a full body vote comes.

The Senate is also a few votes short of passage for S1, the upper chamber counterpart. They are expecting to vote on S1 at their Feb. 13 session, according to majority spokesman Derek Roseman, before the lower chamber sits down to cast their lots.

Assembly Judiciary Committee Chairman Peter Barnes, (D-18), Edison, is posting the bill in his committee and is prepared to vote the measure on to a floor vote, according to sources, but it is unclear whether Barnes will be voting in favor of the bill on the floor.

Another committee member, Assemblyman Ralph Caputo, (D-28), Nutley, said he is undecided on the bill, but will also vote it out of committee to allow the full Assembly to decide its fate.

State Street Wire’s headcount turned up 34 votes in favor of marriage equality, 30 votes against, six undecided, and one abstention. Seven lawmakers were unable to be reached for their position, and two Assembly seats are currently vacant.

‘YES’ VOTES (34)

Mary Pat Angelini, (R-11), Ocean Township

Dan Benson, (D-14), Hamilton

John Burzichelli, (D-3), Paulsboro

Marlene Caride, (D-36), Ridgefield

Upendra Chivukula, (D-17), Franklin Township

Herb Conaway, (D-7), Delanco

Sean Connors, (D-33), Jersey City

Craig Coughlin, (D-19), Woodbridge

Joe Cryan, (D-20), Union Township

Patrick Diegnan, (D-18), South Plainfield

Tim Eustace, (D-38), Maywood

Angel Fuentes, (D-5), Camden

Jerry Green, (D-22), Plainfield

Lou Greenwald, (D-6), Voorhees

Reed Gusciora, (D-15), Trenton

Mila Jasey, (D-27), South Orange

Angelica Jimenez, (D-32), West New York

Gordon Johnson, (D-37), Englewood

Pamela Lampitt, (D-6), Cherry Hill

Charles Mainor, (D-31), Jersey City

John McKeon, (D-27), West Orange

Jason O'Donnell, (D-31), Bayonne

Sheila Oliver, (D-34), East Orange

Vincent Prieto, (D-32), Secaucus

Annette Quijano, (D-20), Elizabeth

Ruben Ramos, (D-33), Hoboken

Celeste Riley, (D-3), Bridgeton

Troy Singleton, (D-7), Willingboro

L. Grace Spencer, (D-29), Newark

Linda Stender, (D-22), Fanwood

Valerie Vainieri Huttle, (D-37), Englewood

Connie Wagner, (D-38), Paramus

Bonnie Watson Coleman, (D-15), Ewing

John Wisniewski, (D-19), Sayreville

UNDECIDED (6)

Ralph Caputo, (D-28), Nutley

Albert Coutinho, (D-29), Newark

Thomas Giblin, (D-34), Montclair

Paul Moriarty, (D-4), Washington Township

Declan O’Scanlon, (R-13), Little Silver

Cleopatra Tucker, (D-28), Newark

NO INFORMATION (7)

Nelson Albano, (D-1), Vineland

Peter Barnes, (D-18), Edison

Joe Egan, (D-17), New Brunswick

Matthew Milam, (D-1), Vineland

Shavonda Sumter, (D-35), Paterson

Gilbert 'Whip' Wilson, (D-5), Camden

Benjie Wimberly, (D-35), Paterson

ABSTAINING (1)

Wayne DeAngelo, (D-14), Hamilton

‘NO’ VOTES (30)

John Amodeo, (R-2), Margate

Jon Bramnick, (R-21), Westfield

Christopher Brown, (R-2), Ventnor

Chris Brown, (R-8), Evesham

Anthony Bucco, (R-25), Boonton

Michael Patrick Carroll, (R-25), Morris Plains

Caroline Casagrande, (R-11), Colts Neck

Gary Chiusano, (R-24), Frankford Township

Jack Ciattarelli, (R-16), Hillsborough

Rob Clifton, (R-12), Matawan

Ronald Dancer, (R-12), Plumsted

John DiMaio, (R-23), Hackettstown

DiAnne Gove, (R-9), Long Beach

Amy Handlin, (R-13), Middletown

Sean Kean, (R-30), Wall

Greg McGuckin, (R-10), Toms River

Alison Littell McHose, (R-24), Franklin Township

Nancy Munoz, (R-21), Summit

Erik Peterson, (R-23), Clinton Township

David Rible, (R-30), Wall

Scott Rudder, (R-8), Medford

Scott Rumana, (R-40), Wayne

Brian Rumpf, (R-9), Little Egg Harbor

David Russo, (R-40), Ridgewood

Gary Schaer, (D-36), Passaic

Robert Schroeder, (R-39), Washington Township

Holly Shepisi, (R-39), Riverdale

Jay Webber, (R-26), Morris Plains

David Wolfe, (R-10), Brick

Donna Simon, (R-16), Readington

VACANT SEATS (2)