Sec/State Debra Bowen (D) announced 6/2 "an initiative that would again outlaw gay marriage" in CA has qualified for the Nov. ballot. Bowen "said a random check of signatures submitted by the measure's sponsors showed that they had gathered enough names for it to be put to voters. The measure would amend the state constitution to 'provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.'"
If approved by a majority of voters 11/4, the amendment would overturn the recent CA Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in the state. "If the marriages proceed during the next five months, it is unclear whether they would be nullified if the amendment passes."
"Proponents submitted 1,120,801 signatures in late April, and county clerks determined the measure qualified by verifying the validity of 3 percent of the signatures they received." Recent polls have found CA voters "are about evenly split on whether gay couples should be allowed to marry" (Leff, AP, 6/3).
"The gay marriage initiative will appear on a crowded ballot with a hotly contested presidential contest and at least seven other statewide initiatives." According to those who promote and oppose the measure, the overall campaign price tag could top $30M. Already proponents spent $1.8M to gather signatures and push the measure for the ballot" (Yamamura, Sacremento Bee, 6/3).
"Many opponents of same-sex marriage saw the high court's ruling as a rejection of past ballot measures against the practice, most recently Proposition 22, which defined marriage as between a man and a woman." It passed in '00 with 61% of the vote. Dem strategist Garry South "described the ballot measure as part of a decades-old strategy by California conservatives to use a wedge issue to mobilize support during a presidential election."
"But he noted that the Supreme Court that ruled in favor of gay marriage is dominated by" GOPers "and said a Barack Obama victory" for the Dem nod "would probably bring out young voters in November more sympathetic to same-sex marriage." South:"I don't think there's been a sea change in attitudes, but it's clear in the surveys that this is almost an even-steven issue in California."
Ex-GOP strategist Allan Hoffenblum "said voters might be swayed by the high court's ruling." Hoffenblum: "They're going to be seeing on TV gays getting married, then they're going to be told, 'No, we're going to take that right away. I think that changes the dynamics of the whole thing" (Leonard, Los Angeles Times, 6/3).
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