Measure to repeal anti-same-sex-marriage law fails to qualify for November ballot

[jaysunb]

Source: L.A. Times

A measure to repeal Proposition 8, the anti-gay-marriage initiative, has failed to qualify for the November ballot.

John Henning, who heads a group that sponsored the repeal effort, declined to say how many signatures were gathered since the all-volunteer campaign got underway in late November. He said 694,000 valid signatures were required by Monday.

"There comes a point where the intake of signatures isn't rapid enough to make up your deficit," Henning said. "We started to realize last week that we weren't going to make it."

He said his group, Love Honor Cherish, will work with other activists to put a repeal measure on the November 2012 ballot.


The effort to repeal Proposition 8 this year relied heavily on the Internet. Supporters could download signature-gathering forms and watch videos about how to approach voters.

Henning said he did not regret the effort, despite its failure.

"We have kept this issue in the public's eye for the better part of a year, and the signature gathering in itself was a huge opportunity to talk to the public," he said.

A constitutional challenge of Proposition 8 is pending in federal court in San Francisco. Closing arguments in the case, expected last month, have been delayed because of disputes over the production of documents sought by proponents of the initiative.

Even if the federal challenge succeeds in the lower courts, a repeal measure should be placed on the 2012 ballot, Henning said.

"We have a conservative U.S. Supreme Court, and it is going to be very hard to win that case in the Supreme Court," he said.

-- Maura Dolan

More from L.A. Now


Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/04/measure-to-repeal-proposition-8-fails-to-qualify-for-november-ballot.html

[leeroysphitz]

1. The crowd has spoken. n/t

[bluestateguy]

2. 2012 might be the more promising year

Bigger electorate in a presidential year, more young people voting and the passage of time: more curmudgeonly old homophobes will have been called by Father Time.

[TheWraith]

6. I still disagree. The closer to the backlash, the better.

The sooner it's on the ballot, the more likely people will still have simmering anger driving them out to vote.

[customerserviceguy]

7. I disagree, also

2012 will attract more African-American churchgoers, who are notoriously homophobic.

[onpatrol98]

8. Strange comment?

Yep...last thing we want to see is black folks voting??? Even women are voting now...

[customerserviceguy]

9. I simply observe

that a large number of African-Americans voted in California in 2008, at the same time that Prop H8 passed. It's well known that those who are of the churchgoing bent are homophobic.

Not so strange when you break it down.

[onpatrol98]

10. Point Noted

"2012 will attract more African-American churchgoers"

Point noted and understood. Here's a 2002 poll that doesn't mention African Americans, but rather Hispanics on this issue for Washington, I'll have to find some information on that. So, maybe I do get where you're coming from.

Me personally, I'm for attracting more African Americans to vote. Well, heck, more Americans (no matter their background) in general.

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[Mojambo]

3. 2012 is a FAR better target year. n/t

[tomm2thumbs]

4. better in an off year than this teabag-year of teabagging teabaggers

[Unvanguard]

5. It's been clear that this would be the result for months. They're shooting for 2012.

Or maybe not even then, depending on how promising Perry v. Schwarzenegger is.