Florida Marriage amendment certified for November ballot

TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—A constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage will be on the November ballot because supporters gathered 92,000 extra petitions in about two weeks after learning a computer glitch had dropped the previous tally below the 611,009 petition requirement.

John Stemberger, chairman of the Florida Coalition to Protect Marriage, was notified Feb. 1 by the director of the Divisions of Elections, that the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment was officially certified as Amendment 2 for the Nov. 4, 2008, general election ballot with a total of 649,346 valid signatures.

Eight percent of the total number of ballots cast in the last presidential election—611,009—is required for a ballot initiative to qualify. Additionally, half of the state's congressional districts—13 of 25—must reach the eight percent threshold. The marriage amendment surpassed that requirement in 15 congressional districts.

The marriage amendment was the only one of more than 50 active petition drives to qualify, according to The Associated Press.

"We are grateful to God first, and to our supporters second, for this amazing victory," Stemberger said in a Feb. 1 statement. "What our people did was simply remarkable. They collected 92,000 petitions in about 13 days."

Noting paid petition gatherers were not used, Stemberger said, "This is real proof for grassroots momentum for marriage as the union of one man and one woman in Florida."

"I just wish there was some way I could meet each of the hundreds of thousands of supporters from across the state who have worked so hard and personally thank them," Stemberger said.

"The people have spoken—twice now—and they will speak again on Nov. 4, 2008. We will now proceed with our campaign plan to overcome the final and most serious hurdle—60 percent popular vote passage of the amendment," he added.

In a statement to Florida Baptist Witness, Stemberger gave particular praise to the efforts of Southern Baptists: "There were many forces, if you will, that contributed to the massive petition collection effort. But none were so vital or more important than the Southern Baptist pastors and churches in Florida. This was the single most significant factor in what we accomplished."

The text of the proposed amendment says, "Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized."

Like teams that finally make it to the Super Bowl but recognize just getting to the big game is not the ultimate prize, marriage amendment leaders will now turn their attention to convincing a super-majority of the electorate to approve the measure.

"The battle has only just engaged and I ask all Florida Baptists to place the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment on their prayer lists until the Nov. 4 election," Bill Bunkley, legislative consultant for the Florida Baptist Convention, told the Witness Feb. 2.

Bunkley congratulated the Florida Baptist pastors and laypersons "who stepped up to the plate to mount this massive grassroots effort."

Saying that he was "stunned" when informed two weeks ago that the amendment had fallen nearly 22,000 signatures below the requirement after an audit found that 27,000 petitions from Miami-Dade and some from other counted were double-counted, Bunkley said "we know God provided 38,337 more petitions than necessary in just a couple of weeks."

Currently, 27 other states have adopted similar state constitutional amendments protecting traditional marriage. One group opposing the marriage amendment, Florida Red & Blue Committee, scoffed at the news the marriage amendment qualified for the November ballot.

"Those pushing this amendment have had three years to collect the required number of petitions. That they met that goal literally at the final hour should send a clear message that Floridians feel the state has more important things to do than create another government intrusion into our private lives," Jon Kislak, chairman of the group told the St. Petersburg Times.

Republican Party of Florida chairman Jim Greer issued a statement Feb. 1 praising the marriage amendment, asserting that its certification "illustrates the widespread support for the sanctity of marriage."

"The people of Florida will have the opportunity to vote on this important issue in November. I am hopeful we will see traditional marriage—between one man and one woman—defended in our state constitution," Greer said.

Republican Gov. Charlie Crist distanced himself from the marriage amendment in recent months, although he personally signed a petition while a candidate for governor in 2006.