2004 Marriage Amendment Initiatives

Updated September 3, 2004

Thirteen (13) states have provisions permitting state constitutional amendments to be proposed by the citizen initiative rather than legislative act. Initiative efforts in 6 states (Arkansas, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon) placed constitutional amendments defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman on the November 2004 statewide ballot.

Missouri's amendment passed in August with 71 percent of the vote.

Louisiana's amendment will be on the ballot September 18, 2004

Challenges are being made to several amendments to keep them off the ballot.
These states include:

• Louisiana: On September 2, 2004, the Louisiana Supreme Court refused to hear the cases keeping the amendment off the ballot, allowing the vote to proceed  
• Arkansas: The Arkansas Supreme Court will fast track the suit in that State
• Michigan: The Board of Canvassers refused to certify the amendment with a 2-2 vote. It is being challenged in court
• Oklahoma: A suit has been filed.
• Georgia: A suit has been threatened

Some Resources

Related Link: The Family Research Counsel's 2004 State Marriage Constitutional Amendments resource page

State: Arkansas
Website: www.arkansasmarriage.com
Deadline: June 25, 2004
Signatures Needed: 80,570 signatures

Address: 414 South Pulaski, Suite 3
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
Phone: 501-975-7755
Fax: 501-537-9078
E-mail: info@arkansasmarriage.com

Section 1. Marriage.
Marriage consists only of the union of one man and one woman.

Section 2. Marital status.
Legal status for unmarried persons which is identical or substantially similar to marital status shall not be valid or recognized in Arkansas, except that the legislature may recognize a common law marriage from another state between a man and a woman.

Section 3. Capacity, rights, obligations, privileges, and immunities.
The legislature has the power to determine the capacity of persons to marry, subject to this amendment, and the legal rights, obligations, privileges, and immunities of marriage.

State: Michigan
Website: http://www.protectmarriageyes.org
Deadline: Beginning of July
Signatures Needed: About 400,000

Address: Citizens for the Protection of Marriage
112 E. Allegan St., Suite 600
Lansing, MI 48933
Phone: 248-477-1043
E-mail: melwell@freedomisp.net

Text:
"A proposal to amend the Michigan Constitution by adding a new section 25 to article I (or if section 25 of article I already exists, then this proposal shall add anew section to article I in the next available numeric order) to read as follows: '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.' This proposal is to be voted on at the November 2, 2004 General Election."

State: Montana
Website: www.montanafamily.org
Deadline: June 15, 2004
Signatures Needed: 42,000

Address: Montanans for Marriage
P.O. Box 51191
Billings, MT
Phone: 406.628.1141

State: North Dakota
Website: www.ndfa.org
Deadline: August 3, 2004
Signatures Needed: 25,688

Address: North Dakota Family Alliance
4007 N. State Street, Suite #109
Bismarck, North Dakota 58503
Phone: (701) 223-3575
E-mail: ndfa@riverjordan.com

State: Ohio
Website: www.ohiomarriage.com
Deadline: July 21, 2004
Signatures Needed: 323,000

Address: 11175 Reading Road, Suite 103
Cincinnati, Ohio 45241
Phone: (513) 733-5775
Phone: 614-920-1490

State: Oregon
Website: www.defenseofmarriagecoalition.org
Deadline: July 2, 2004
Signatures Needed: 100,840 signatures (probably need to submit 30,000 more)

Address: Defense of Marriage Coalition
PO Box 30536
Portland, Oregon 97294
Phone: 877-203-9595
Fax: 503-257-4834