Gay Marriage at the Ballot Box
Prior to Massachusetts becoming the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2003, only three states had passed constitutional amendments prohibiting the practice. With amendments in California, Arizona and Florida passing this November, the number of states now stands at 29. A graphic charts the recent history of voter-approved state bans on gay marriage.
A Roundup of State Ballot Measures
Gay marriage bans were among the most closely watched of the 153 measures on 36 states’ ballots this year, a list that included scores of politically explosive social and fiscal issues including abortion, doctor-assisted suicide and various efforts to roll back state taxes.
Social Issues Crowd State Ballots
In a special to the Pew Research Center, a Stateline.org report finds more proposals that would appeal to conservative voters than to liberals are showing up in 2008, but no consensus on whether ballot measures tend to drive enough voters to the polls to give an advantage to a presidential candidate.
Gay Marriage Is Back On The Radar For Republicans, Evangelicals
Overall opposition to same-sex marriages has declined somewhat but the issue has regained importance among some conservative groups.
Two Perspectives on Gay Marriage
To explore the issues raised by same-sex marriage, the Pew Forum interviewed former Sen. Rick Santorum, who opposes gay marriage, and journalist Jonathan Rauch, who argues in its favor.
An Overview of the Same-Sex Marriage Debate
The controversy ignited by the Massachusetts High Court ruling allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry continues to rage in state courts and legislatures as well as in churches across the nation.
