Breaking Political News

In an effort to be on the ground everywhere, MSNBC is recruiting "citizen journalists" to photograph balloting around the country and report back on any voting issues. They're looking to get a sense of crowds and lines, the mood of the voters, and any voting problems or challenges. (more...)

11 States Voting on Same-Sex Marriage

On November 2, voters in 11 states will vote on whether or not to amend their state constitutions to prohibit same-sex marriages. But some of the strongest versions have drawn opposition from some surprising quarters - including the Republican Attorney General of Utah.

Three of the states (Mississippi, Montana, and Oregon) only ban gay marriage, but in the remaining eight states (Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Utah) would also prohibit their states from adopting legislation around civil unions, and some could be interpreted to prohibit any form of domestic partnership legislation.

It's these harshest measures that are drawing the most opposition, even from Republicans who fear that it may make it harder for them to attract skilled workers. In Ohio, many prominent Republicans including Governor Bob Taft oppose the amendment, which is currently leading in the polls by 57%. In Utah, all three candidates for state Attorney General oppose their pending amendment, including the Republican incumbent. Michigan's is being vigorously opposed by the AFL-CIO on the grounds that it may eliminate existing domestic partnership benefits currently in place for its members.

Oregon's amendment, which isn't as punitive as many of the others, seems to have the best chance of being defeated.

But the harshest ones may also have the strongest grounds for legal challenges. An amendment banning both same-sex marriages and civil unions that recently passed in Louisiana was later struck down by the courts. The judge agreed with the plaintiff that the measure improperly addressed multiple issues (most states require that ballot measures be limited to only a single issue) because it did not give voters the opportunity to ban gay marriages while retaining civil unions or domestic partnerships. (more...)

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