Even as all eyes were on the incredibly tight presidnential race last week,
voters in several states were deciding key moral and social issues.
A review of state initiatives and propositions reveals key
votes on pressing concerns, including:
Even as all eyes were on the incredibly tight presidnential race last week,
voters in several states were deciding key moral and social issues.
A review of state initiatives and propositions reveals key
votes on pressing concerns, including:
•Pro-life issues
Maine voters narrowly rejected an assisted suicide measure
that said “a terminally ill adult, who is of sound mind, (should) be allowed
to ask for and receive a doctor’s help to die.” The measure was defeated
on a vote of 321,901 (51 percent) to 303,201 (49 percent).
“This is a hopeful sign,” said Ben Mitchell, consultant
for biomedical and life issues with the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious
Liberty Commission. “If both Oregon (which allows assisted suicide) and
Maine had legalized the practice, they would have set up bookends on either
side of the nation and the culture of death would have made its push toward
the heartland.”
Meanwhile, Colorado voters rejected a ballot initiative that
would have required a 24-hour waiting period before a woman could have an abortion
– and that certain information about abortion procedures and alternatives
be provided to her. Nineteen states currently require some type of waiting period
for women seeking an abortion.
The measure lost on a vote of 959,803 against a waiting period
(60.3 percent) to 630,771 for the 24-hour wait (39.7 percent).
Early polls had showed support for the measure. However, pro-choice
advocates reportedly outspent their counterparts 10-to-one, with Planned Parenthood
providing some $250,000 to oppose the measure.
Homosexuality issues
Voters in Nebraska easily approved the Defense of Marriage
Amendment, which says same-sex marriages, civil unions and domestic partnerships
are not valid in the state. Supporters said the amendment will protect Nebraska
from being forced to accept gay marriage or marriage-like unions that another
state might approve. It was approved by almost a two-to-one margin.
Nevada voters approved a similar measure, with opponents of
the Coalition for the Protection of Marriage conceding defeat even before the
polls opened. The coalition had gathered 120,000 signatures to get the marriage
issue on the Nevada ballot. It also raised more than $700,000 and launched an
aggressive television and radio campaign.
Meanwhile, Maine voters defeated a referendum that would have
banned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The margin was narrow
– 317,519 (51 percent) voting against the ban and 310,656 (49 percent)
voting for it.
The referendum marked the third statewide vote on homosexual
rights in Maine, and observers are crediting the state’s religious community
with helping to defeat it.
In a related development, Vermont Gov. Howard Dean won re-election,
despite the fact that he has been under fire for supporting homosexual rights
in that state. Dean defeated two challengers, including one opposed to the new
law creating civil unions for same-sex couples.
Supporters of the “Take Back Vermont” movement had
hoped to send a message to Dean for his support of homosexual marriages. Instead,
the governor won re-election with 51.5 percent of the vote. The next closest
challenger received 38.8 percent.
Finally, by a slim majority, Oregon voters defeated a measure
that would have prohibited the promotion of homosexuality in the state’s
public schools.
With 96 percent of the vote in, 716,512 (53 percent) of voters
had cast ballots against the prohibition, while 644,735 (47 percent) were in
favor of the ban. Homosexual rights activists had campaigned against the proposed
ban, insisting that it would prevent children from being taught that homosexuality
is normal, healthy and natural.
The proposed measure would have prohibited public schools from
“providing instruction on behaviors relating to homosexuality or bisexuality
in a manner that encourages, promotes or sanctions such behaviors,” a state
voting guide explained.
Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission spokesperson
Barrett Duke warned that some now see public schools as social programming centers.
He stressed that Christians should not abandon public schools but become involved
in order to advocate Christian values. “Parents with children in public
schools must become more involved … in order that traditional Christian values
are not trampled or dismissed as antiquated and (so) that these values will
be taught in those same environments (as those promoting homosexuality).”
Legalization of drugs
Alaska voters turned down a measure to legalize marijuana on
a vote of 61 percent to 39 percent – despite the fact that proponents of
the measure outspent opponents six-to-one. An observer said the measure was
defeated in large part because it also would have declared amnesty and considered
restitution for jailed offenders.
Meanwhile, voters in Colorado and Nevada approved medicinal
use of marijuana, while California residents approved treatment for nonviolent
offenders instead of jailing them for low-level drug offenses.
In addition, California’s Mendocino County became the
first place in the nation to legalize personal possession of up to 25 marijuana
plants. That measure passed by a 58 percent-to-42 percent margin.
An Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission spokesperson called
the results disappointing, noting that people just are not listening to health
or drug experts.
School voucher issue
The idea of publicly-funded vouchers for private schools suffered
a setback last week when voters in two states rejected the program. The proposed
initiatives illustrated two approaches.
A Michigan proposal was considered a model for the voucher
program. Under it, students in districts that fail to graduate two-thirds of
their students would have been eligible for scholarships of $3,300 – half
of the per-student amount spent for public schools – to be used for nonpublic
schools. There were no income requirements.
Backers of the plan included the Roman Catholic Church. Nevertheless,
68 percent of voters rejected the plan.
In California, a more radical proposal would have made $4,000
in scholarship money available to any student in the state who chose to attend
a nonpublic school. In balloting, 70.7 percent of voters rejected the initiative
– which had been controversial even among some voucher supporters because
it was so sweeping. (BP)