States vote on gay marriage ban

THE debate over gay marriage reached the US ballot box in 11 states yesterday as nearly one-fifth of America’s voters had a chance to decide whether their state constitutions should be amended to deny marriage rights to same-sex couples.

Most, if not all, of the bans were expected to win overwhelming approval.

However, national and local gay-rights groups campaigned vigorously in Oregon, where polls showed a close race, and in a few other states to try to prevent a sweep.

None of the 11 states allows gay marriage, though officials in Portland, Oregon, married more than 3,000 same-sex couples last year before a judge halted the practice.

Supporters of the amendments contend the measures are needed as an extra guard against state court rulings like the one in Massachusetts a year ago that legalised same-sex marriage.

The proposed amendments in Mississippi, Montana and Oregon refer only to marriage, specifying it should be limited to men and women.

The measures in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma and Utah would ban civil unions as well.

In most cases, those additional provisions generated extra controversy.