CA 2010 activists file to collect signatures for ballot
A coalition of grassroots groups seeking to repeal Prop 8 in California next year filed an initiative with the state Attorney General Thursday morning. But there is still no consensus on strategy or ballot language.
The proposed initiative submitted by the group “Love Honor Cherish” opens with strong language that protects “religious freedom” – exempting religious officials or institutions from having to perform same sex marriages.
The initiative then strikes the current definition of marriage as between a man and a woman and substitutes – “Marriage is between only two persons and shall not be restricted on the basis of race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, or religion.”
Love Honor Cherish co-founder John Henning told OutQ News that the group conferred on the language with attorneys and pollsters “within and outside the LGBT movement” – some of whom would prefer to wait until 2012 to challenge Prop 8 on the ballot.
Equality California Executive director Geoff Kors confirmed that they helped with the language – though he said his group “believes 2012, not 2010, gives us our best chance to win.”
Another grassroots group, The Courage Campaign, did not sign onto Thursday’s submission, and says it’s continuing to research the ballot language.
Henning, of Love Honor Cherish, expects to get ballot approval by mid-November – after which they have 150 days to collect the required 694,000 signatures.
–Karen Ocamb in West Hollywood
