Outcome in doubt over gay marriage ban. How are you voting?

By BRIAN JOSEPH
The Orange County Register

SACRAMENTO With election day upon us, the nation will be closely watching California's vote on Proposition 8, the gay marriage ban.

Two other states, Arizona and Florida, have similar proposals on their ballots, but California has become the central battleground in this ferocious culture war.

Supporters of the initiative, which include Republican politicians and numerous faith-based organizations, say they're battling for nothing less than the souls of our children and the stability of our country.

Opponents – gay rights activists, prominent Democrats, Hollywood stars and some religious organizations of their own – have labeled this a classic civil rights struggle marked by bigotry, discrimination and outright lies.

More than $67 million have been raised for and against the initiative, which will likely make it the most money raised for a social issue in California election history.

The initiative always was expected to ignite passions, but the stakes rose precipitously in May, when the state Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage was legal.

Gay marriage opponents now view this as an opportunity to overturn an "activist" court's improper ruling, citing a 2000 ballot measure approved by California voters that defined marriage as between a man and a woman.

Gay marriage supporters, on the other hand, say it's unthinkable in the 21st Century to eliminate rights already bestowed upon a group. Scores of same-sex couples have been married since the Supreme Court's ruling.

Debate over the issue in recent days has focused on whether school children will be forced to learn about gay marriage if Prop. 8 isn't approved. The initiative and state law say nothing about a requirement to teach marriage of any kind, but Prop. 8 supporters say if gay marriage is allowed to continue in California it will eventually become part of school curriculum.

Recent polling by The Field Poll shows Prop. 8 failing by a narrow margin, with 49 percent voting No, 44 percent yes and 7 percent undecided.

The end result, however, could be much closer as another traditionally conservative measure, Proposition 4, which requires parental notification before a minor child can have an abortion, is narrowly leading in the latest Field Poll, 45 percent to 43 percent.

With numbers this tight, don't be surprised if the outcome remains in doubt past Tuesday. This will be a close one.

Contact the writer: 916-449-6046 or bjoseph@ocregister.com