Washington D.C., Nov 2, 2004 / 22:00 pm
Voters in 11 states approved constitutional amendments to maintain the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman and to ban same-sex marriage yesterday.
The amendments won easy approval in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Oregon and Utah, thus demonstrating widespread public disapproval of court rulings in favor of homosexual couples.
Gay-rights activists had hoped to prevail in Oregon, but the amendment was soundly voted in.
The Ohio amendment, which is considered the broadest of the 11, bars any legal status that "intends to approximate marriage."
The Associated Press reported that exit polls showed the ban winning by 4-1 in Mississippi, 3-1 in Georgia and 3-2 in Ohio.