---
title: "Gay Marriage at the Ballot Box"
description: "Twenty-nine states have passed voter-approved constitutional bans on gay marriage."
date: "2008-12-29"
authors:
  - name: "Russell Heimlich"
    job_title: "Former web developer"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2008/12/29/gay-marriage-at-the-ballot-box/"
---

# Gay Marriage at the Ballot Box

Since Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage through court action in 2003, 26 states have passed voter-approved constitutional bans on gay marriage, bringing the total number of states with voter-approved bans to 29. Prior to 2003, only Alaska, Nebraska and Nevada had passed constitutional amendments prohibiting the practice. Only Arizona, in 2006, has rejected a constitutional ban on gay marriage at the ballot box. However, like California and Florida, Arizona passed a ban this year. In addition to these constitutional amendments, legislatures in 42 states have passed laws limiting the legal definition of marriage to a union between a man and a woman. [Read More](https://www.pewresearch.org/pubs/1034/gay-marriage-at-the-ballot-box)