How gay marriage fared in elections elsewhere

In February, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a law allowing gay and lesbian couples in Washington to marry. It will take effect June 7 unless, as expected, opponents get enough signatures to put the law before voters in November — with the hope voters will reject it. If opponents qualify Referendum 74, history is on their side. Since 1998, the definition of marriage has been voted on 34 times in this country and not once did voters support same-sex couples. Backers of Washington’s law say attitudes are changing and the streak will end this fall. Here’s how balloting has gone elsewhere.

State	Year	Ballot name	Purpose	Placed on ballot by	Nature of change	Outcome	Yes	No
Alaska	1998	Measure 2	Definition of marriage	Legislative referendum	Constitutional amendment	Passed	68.1%	31.9%
Hawaii	1998	Question 2	Give Legislature right to define marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	69.2%	28.6%
California	2000	Proposition 22	Definition of marriage	Citizen initiative	State law	Passed	61.4%	38.6%
Nebraska	2000	Initiative 416	Definition of marriage	Citizen initiative	Constitutional amendment	Passed	67.5%	28.8%
Nevada*	2000	Question 2 (first vote)	Definition of marriage	Citizen initiative	Constitutional amendment	Passed	69.6%	30.4%
Nevada*	2002	Question 2 (passage)	Definition of marriage	Citizen initiative	Constitutional amendment	Passed	67.2%	32.8%
Arkansas	2004	Amendment 3	Definition of marriage	Citizen initiative	Constitutional amendment	Passed	75.0%	25.0%
Georgia	2004	Amendment 1	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	76.2%	23.8%
Kentucky	2004	Amendment 1	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	74.6%	25.4%
Louisiana	2004	Amendment 1	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	77.8%	22.2%
Michigan	2004	Proposal 2	Definition of marriage	Citizen initiative	Constitutional amendment	Passed	58.6%	41.4%
Mississippi	2004	Amendment 1	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	86.0%	14.0%
Missouri	2004	Amendment 2	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	70.6%	29.4%
Montana	2004	Constitutional Initiative 96	Definition of marriage	Citizen initiative	Constitutional amendment	Passed	66.6%	33.4%
North Dakota	2004	Constitutional Measure 1	Definition of marriage	Citizen initiative	Constitutional amendment	Passed	73.2%	26.8%
Ohio	2004	Issue 1	Definition of marriage	Citizen initiative	Constitutional amendment	Passed	61.7%	38.3%
Oklahoma	2004	Question 711	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	75.6%	24.4%
Oregon	2004	Measure 36	Definition of marriage	Citizen initiative	Constitutional amendment	Passed	56.6%	43.4%
Utah	2004	Amendment 3	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	65.9%	34.1%
Kansas	2005	Amendment 1	Definition of marriage	Legislative referendum	Constitutional amendment	Passed	70.0%	30.0%
Texas	2005	Proposition 2	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	76.3%	23.7%
Alabama	2006	Amendment 774	Definition of marriage	Legislative referendum	Constitutional amendment	Passed	81.2%	18.8%
Arizona	2006	Proposition 107	Definition of marriage	Citizen initiative	Constitutional amendment	Failed	48.2%	51.8%
Colorado	2006	Amendment 43	Definition of marriage	Citizen initiative	Constitutional amendment	Passed	55.0%	45.0%
Idaho	2006	House Joint Resolution 2	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	63.4%	36.6%
South Carolina	2006	Amendment 1	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	78.0%	22.0%
South Dakota	2006	Amendment C	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	52.0%	48.0%
Tennessee	2006	Amendment 1	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	81.3%	18.7%
Virginia	2006	Question 1	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	57.1%	42.9%
Wisconsin	2006	Question 1	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	59.4%	40.6%
Arizona	2008	Proposition 102	Definition of marriage	Legislature	Constitutional amendment	Passed	56.2%	43.8%
California	2008	Proposition 8	Definition of marriage	Citizen initiative	Constitutional amendment	Passed	52.3%	47.7%
Florida	2008	Proposition 2	Definition of marriage	Citizen initiative	Constitutional amendment	Passed	62.1%	37.9%
Maine	2009	Question 1	Repeal same-sex marriage law	Popular referendum	State law	Passed	52.7%	47.3%