North Carolina voters approve marriage amendment
May 09, 2012
By a 61%-39% margin, voters in North Carolina approved a constitutional amendment declaring that “marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state.”
The amendment prevents the state legislature from one day legalizing same-sex marriage or civil unions.
“While our state already has a law that prohibits same-sex marriage, as we are well aware by what has taken place in several other states, such laws can be overturned by judicial or legislative action,” Bishops Michael Burbidge of Raleigh and Peter Jugis of Charlotte said in a letter read at Masses across North Carolina on the Sunday before the vote.
“This is why it is so important for us to vote to protect traditional marriage and pass the amendment to make this definition of marriage part of our state constitution … We ask you to join us in our support for the sacred vocation of marriage and what its definition means to us and to the future of our great state.”
The victory of the marriage amendment took place in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans by 750,000. Numerous Democratic Party leaders--including President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, Gov. Beverly Perdue, and Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton--had spoken out against the marriage amendment, and the State Board of Education had passed a resolution opposing it.
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Further information:
- N.C.'s Catholic bishops ask faithful to vote for constitutional amendment defining marriage (Charlotte Catholic News Herald)
- Effect of NC Gay Marriage Amendment Unclear (AP)
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