Florida Amendment 2
Encyclopedia
Florida Amendment 2 was an amendment made to the Constitution of Florida
in 2008. It added Article I, Section 27 to the constitution, which defines marriage as a union only between one man and one woman, and thus bans the creation of similar unions, such as civil union
s or same-sex marriage
.
process, and went before the voters of Florida
in a referendum
held on November 4, 2008. Similar proposals were put to a vote at the same time in Arizona
(Proposition 102
) and California
(Proposition 8
).
Proposed constitutional amendments in Florida require 611,009 signatures, including at least 8% of voters in the last presidential election and at least 8% of voters in each congressional district of Florida. The initiative was certified with 649,346 signatures and was placed on the ballot on February 2008. 60% of voters were required to pass the amendment in Florida.
A Quinnipiac University
poll on September 8, 2008 showed that 55% favored the proposed amendment, while 41% oppose it. "Florida and Arizona joined 27 other states that previously approved such amendments."
The amendment was ultimately passed by a margin of 61.9% in favor and 38.1% opposed. In the Florida 2008 election, Barack Obama
voters as a whole voted 57% against Amendment 2 while John McCain
voters voted 81% in favor of the legislation. Republican Governor Charlie Crist
publicly supported Amendment 2.
Another difference between Amendment 2 and Proposition 8 was that the latter did not render domestic partnerships unlawful in California, while the text of Amendment 2 made the recognition of civil unions—or other marriage-like relationships for same-sex couples—unlawful in Florida.
Florida Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Florida is the document that establishes and describes the duties, powers, structure and function of the government of the U.S. state of Florida, and establishes the basic law of the state....
in 2008. It added Article I, Section 27 to the constitution, which defines marriage as a union only between one man and one woman, and thus bans the creation of similar unions, such as civil union
Civil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
s or same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
.
Text
Amendment 2 added Article I Section 27 of the Florida constitution. This states:The initiative
The amendment was proposed by means of the initiativeInitiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
process, and went before the voters of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in a referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
held on November 4, 2008. Similar proposals were put to a vote at the same time in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
(Proposition 102
Arizona Proposition 102 (2008)
Arizona Proposition 102 was an amendment to the constitution of the state of Arizona adopted by a referendum held in 2008. It added Article 30 of the Arizona Constitution, which says:"Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state."- Overview :On...
) and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
(Proposition 8
California Proposition 8 (2008)
Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
).
Proposed constitutional amendments in Florida require 611,009 signatures, including at least 8% of voters in the last presidential election and at least 8% of voters in each congressional district of Florida. The initiative was certified with 649,346 signatures and was placed on the ballot on February 2008. 60% of voters were required to pass the amendment in Florida.
A Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac University is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in Hamden, Connecticut, United States at the foot of Sleeping Giant State Park...
poll on September 8, 2008 showed that 55% favored the proposed amendment, while 41% oppose it. "Florida and Arizona joined 27 other states that previously approved such amendments."
The amendment was ultimately passed by a margin of 61.9% in favor and 38.1% opposed. In the Florida 2008 election, Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
voters as a whole voted 57% against Amendment 2 while John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
voters voted 81% in favor of the legislation. Republican Governor Charlie Crist
Charlie Crist
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Crist, Jr. is an American politician who was the 44th Governor of Florida. Prior to his election as governor, Crist previously served as Florida State Senator, Education Commissioner, and Attorney General...
publicly supported Amendment 2.
Comparison to Proposition 8
A similar and more widely controversial ballot initiative in California, Proposition 8, was titled "ELIMINATES RIGHT OF SAME–SEX COUPLES TO MARRY. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT" and summarized accordingly. This description differed from the description of Florida's Amendment 2 in that it referred to a right being removed.Another difference between Amendment 2 and Proposition 8 was that the latter did not render domestic partnerships unlawful in California, while the text of Amendment 2 made the recognition of civil unions—or other marriage-like relationships for same-sex couples—unlawful in Florida.
Effect of education
A study was done to see the effect of education on the votes. Controlling for other socioeconomic and political factors, for each additional 1 percent of a county’s population with a bachelor of arts degree, the study concluded that there was nearly an equal 1 percent decrease in support for Amendment 2. By comparison, every 1 percent increase in a county’s black population led to only two-tenths of a percentage point increase in support for Amendment 2. According to one of the study's authors, "Education is so important because it increases exposure to those who are different. Studies show very clearly that the more educated people are the more tolerant they are of differences.”External links
- Yes2Marriage.org (Amendment 2 proponents)
- SayNo2.com (Amendment 2 opponents)
- The Money Behind the 2008 Same-Sex Partnership Ballot Measures - The National Institute On Money In State Politics