Michigan Gathers Nearly Half a Million Signatures for Marriage 7/7/2004
By Robert Knight
At least 10 states will vote on constitutional amendments.
Michigan became the latest state to gather enough signatures to put a marriage amendment on the November ballot. On Monday, supporters turned in 475,000 signatures, with only 317,000 needed to qualify the measure.
It was the fourth straight victory in the past month for pro-family forces in petitioning for a ballot vote on marriage.
On June 30, Oregonians collected 244,000 signatures, with 100,840 needed.
In Montana, more than 70,000 signatures were turned in on June 16, with only 41,020 needed.
And in Arkansas, 200,693 signatures were turned in, with only 80,650 needed.
Signatures are still being collected in Ohio, North Dakota, Louisiana and Illinois.
According to Concerned Women for America member Elissa Teal of Toledo, a volunteer with the Ohio Campaign to Protect Families, the signatures of 323,000 registered Ohio voters are needed. Final signatures must be submitted to the Ohio Board of Elections by August 4.
“Despite judges and politicians, these efforts clearly show that Americans are deeply concerned about the future of marriage and the family,” said Michael Bowman, director of state legislative relations for Concerned Women for America. “Those who want to redefine marriage may find their public career on dangerous ground.”
Five other states already have constitutional marriage amendments on the November ballot – Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Utah. In Missouri, an amendment will be on the primary ballot in August.
The Michigan language is:
To secure and preserve the benefits of marriage for our society and for future generations of children, the union of one man and one woman in marriage shall be the only agreement recognized as a marriage or similar union for any purpose.
The petition drive began in March, after Canada’s high court in Ontario legalized homosexual “marriage.”
AFA-Michigan President Gary Glenn said at the time that the threat to Michigan's marriage law was clear.
"Individuals involved in homosexual relationships can literally cross the bridge in Detroit or Port Huron or Sault St. Marie and be 'married' that same day in Ontario, then return home to Michigan to file lawsuits demanding that their 'marriage' be legally recognized here," Glenn said. "A Marriage Protection Amendment to our state constitution will prevent that and stop activist judges from doing to marriage in Michigan what they did in Ontario and Massachusetts."