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Prop 8 at the Supreme Court in One Week
September 17, 2012
By Matt Baume
A major development in the Prop 8 case could be just one week away. We’ll have all the details about when and where marriages could start back up again. Meanwhile marriage goes to voters in four states and the polling is still very close. And we’ll have a look ahead to the states that could be major marriage battlegrounds in 2013.
We’re just one week away from the Supreme Court of the United States meeting to consider hearing AFER’s case against Prop 8.
If they decide to take our case next Monday, they’ll announce it in a list that’s released on Tuesday, September 25th. Then we’ll file briefs, have oral arguments, and likely get a decision about Prop 8′s constitutionality by next June.
If we’re not on next Tuesday’s list, it means one of two things. Either they won’t hear our case, or they’re simply holding off on making a decision until later.
If they’ve rejected the petition to hear our case, then they’ll announce that on the following Monday, October 1st. In that case, our previous victory will be the final, decisive word. In other words, Prop 8 will be unconstitutional forever, and marriages can start back up again in California.
You can stay connected to the case and be the first to know when something happens. Subscribe here on YouTube, and head over to AFER.org to sign up for breaking news alerts.
We’re also just a few weeks away from marriage going to voters in four states: Maine, Minnesota, Maryland, and Washington. Polling in Minnesota is neck and neck, with a new poll this week showing the marriage ban ahead by just 48 to 47 percent.
But the polling’s much stronger in Washington, where a referendum to legalize the freedom to marry is ahead, 56 to 38. The campaign in Washington just released a new TV commercial, featuring straight parents offering positive remarks about their lesbian daughter. This type of ad has become the standard format for states facing marriage on the ballot.
Once the dust settles from the election, the next states to watch may be Rhode Island and Nevada. Lawmakers in Rhode Island have pledged to take up a marriage bill after similar legislation failed last year. And Assemblyman Elliot Anderson of Las Vegas plans to introduce a bill that would overturn the state’s ten-year-old constitutional ban on marriage equality.
Having technical problems? E-mail equalityontrial AT couragecampaign DOT org for assistance!
12 Comments Leave a Comment
1.
Jamie | September 17, 2012 at 1:42 pm
"This type of ad has become the standard format for states facing marriage on the ballot." How many times have these "standard format" ads won????
2.
davep | September 17, 2012 at 2:34 pm
Indeed. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is insanity. In addition to these 'standard' ads, we need ads with a much stronger message to counter the extremely negative ads and outright lies of the opposition. There have been MANY good ideas proposed, here and many other places. I do not understand why these other ideas are not being implemented.
3.
Tyler O. | September 17, 2012 at 2:44 pm
YES YES YES YES YES
4.
Reformed | September 17, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Rounded up 5 votes for Obama in Florida last week. Pretty exciting for a resident of Texas whose vote doesn't count (red state). Anyone know Florida or Ohio Voters who may not be following election politics or might not be registered yet? Just ask them to vote for Obama and encourage them to register. If you take the time to ask, people pay attention. Chances are, if they are not registered, they will be easily entreated by your ideas, it could be marriage equality, more of a 1% vs 99% appeal, or more of expressing discomfort with changing presidents in mid stream with an unknown when the current president stopped the bleeding in his first term.
5.
Paul in Minneapolis | September 17, 2012 at 4:37 pm
Don't forget that in the Minnesota vote, ballots where the marriage amendment question is left blank are counted as votes against the amendment. In a race this close, such ballots could easily tip the outcome in our favor. It is entirely possible that more people will vote for the amendment than against it while still not getting enough support to win.
6.
Bob | September 17, 2012 at 9:00 pm
Proof: http://www.sos.state.mn.us/index.aspx?page=1533#4…
7.
Bob | September 17, 2012 at 10:16 pm
way to go Reformed,,,,,, the move is on,,,,, take the challenge,, see who can get a vote for Obama,,,,,,
get those voters registered,,,,,, marching to the poles
8.
Gregory in SLC | September 17, 2012 at 10:58 pm
whoa….encouraging!
9.
Anthony | September 18, 2012 at 4:33 pm
The problem is the wording of the ballots. If you ask about "one man and one woman" people identify with that and subsequently vote for that. In Maine, Washington, and Maryland, people are being asked directly about gay people, so the vote result could very well be in favor.
10.
Leo | September 18, 2012 at 6:31 pm
Not disagreeing with you, but the 2009 vote in Maine was also directly about gay people: Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?
11.
Anthony | September 18, 2012 at 6:50 pm
Hopefully the events that have happened over the past 3 years will flip those votes percentages around…
12.
Anthony | September 18, 2012 at 6:52 pm
The wording this time around is "Do you want to allow the state of maine to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples." I think that would fare much better, due to the word "license" being inserted.
Man I hate how the wording of a ballot can change a vote.
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