The New York Times

Thursday, March 8, 2000

BALLOT QUESTIONS

Californians Reject Gay Marriage and Back Tough Juvenile-Crime Laws

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES, March 7 -- Californians today overwhelmingly banned gay marriage, cracked down on juvenile crime and rejected an overhaul of campaign financing.

Those measures were just some of the 20 social, political and pocketbook proposals on the California ballot. Voters also reaffirmed their support for casino gambling on Indian land and rejected an effort to repeal the tobacco taxes championed by a film director, Rob Reiner.

In early returns, 66 percent of the voters supported the gay marriage ban, known as Proposition 22, while 34 percent opposed it.

California, like every other state, does not license gay marriages. Proposition 22 bans recognition of gay marriages performed in any other state.

Similar ballot measures passed in Alaska and Hawaii in 1998, and signatures are being gathered for similar measures in Colorado and Nevada.

The issue galvanized politicians and church leaders on both sides, with each side claiming they were fighting for families. Supporters raised about $8 million and opponents about $5.5 million.

Proposition 22 was sponsored by State Senator Pete Knight, a Republican; the opponents included Mr. Knight's gay son.

"Probably it's my small town upbringing and the fact that I've been going to church all my life," said Lewis Cain of Sacramento, who voted for Proposition 22. "It just seemed like the right thing to do."