2004 Ohio Issue 1

2004 referendum
November 2, 2004
Ohio Definition of Marriage Amendment
Results
Choice
 Votes %
Yes 3,329,335 61.71%
No 2,065,462 38.29%
Valid votes 5,394,797 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 0 0.00%
Total votes 5,394,797 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 8,427,696 64.01%

Yes

  70–80%
  60–70%
  50–60%

No

  50–60%

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Section 15.11 is a provision in the Ohio Constitution that makes it unconstitutional for the state to recognize or perform same-sex marriages or civil unions.[1] Approved as a constitutional amendment in 2004 under the name of "Issue One", it received support from 61.7% of voters.[2]

The text of the amendment states:

Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state and its political subdivisions. This state and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage.[3]

The LGBT rights organization Equality Ohio was founded in response to the passage of Issue 1.[4]

Many political experts credit the amendment with bolstering turnout in rural Ohio, leading to many religious supporters of President George W. Bush to turnout to the polls, helping him win the state of Ohio by a narrow 2 point margin.

Results

Issue 1[5]
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 3,329,335 61.71
No 2,065,462 38.29
Total votes 5,394,797 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 8,427,696 64.01

County breakdown

Breakdown of voting by county[5]
County Yes Votes No Votes
Adams 75.34% 8,700 24.66% 2,847
Allen 71.04% 33,765 28.96% 13,764
Ashland 70.48% 17,447 29.52% 7,307
Ashtabula 61.10% 27,133 38.90% 17,275
Athens 44.22% 12,816 55.78% 16,166
Auglaize 75.18% 17,051 24.82% 5,628
Belmont 72.32% 23,521 27.68% 9,002
Brown 74.12% 14,394 25.88% 5,026
Butler 68.08% 109,779 31.92% 51,462
Carroll 70.75% 9,822 29.25% 4,060
Champaign 70.17% 12,915 29.83% 5,491
Clark 63.88% 42,661 36.12% 24,126
Clermont 68.21% 58,172 31.79% 27,108
Clinton 71.65% 12,791 28.35% 5,062
Columbiana 70.14% 33,970 29.86% 14,465
Coshocton 69.78% 11,693 30.22% 5,063
Crawford 70.92% 15,197 29.08% 6,232
Cuyahoga 53.26% 335,678 46.74% 294,569
Darke 72.93% 18,803 27.07% 6,980
Defiance 72.40% 13,048 27.60% 4,975
Delaware 62.19% 48,844 37.81% 29,696
Erie 63.59% 24,466 36.41% 14,007
Fairfield 68.02% 45,423 31.98% 21,352
Fayette 74.83% 8,544 25.17% 2,874
Franklin 51.99% 248,873 48.01% 229,841
Fulton 71.77% 15,041 28.23% 5,917
Gallia 79.76% 10,897 20.24% 2,766
Geauga 59.93% 29,360 40.07% 19,630
Greene 62.04% 48,100 37.96% 29,430
Guernsey 69.23% 11,781 30.77% 5,237
Hamilton 56.30% 229,118 43.70% 177,850
Hancock 72.46% 24,787 27.54% 9,422
Hardin 74.49% 9,710 25.51% 3,325
Harrison 69.67% 5,566 30.33% 2,423
Henry 73.63% 10,834 26.37% 3,881
Highland 76.61% 13,819 23.39% 4,219
Hocking 69.99% 8,935 30.01% 3,832
Holmes 76.54% 8,525 23.46% 2,613
Huron 68.69% 17,180 31.31% 7,831
Jackson 74.98% 10,332 25.02% 3,448
Jefferson 72.41% 25,726 27.59% 9,801
Knox 68.19% 17,815 31.81% 8,310
Lake 57.63% 65,012 42.37% 47,796
Lawrence 79.44% 21,155 20.56% 5,474
Licking 66.28% 51,612 33.72% 26,262
Logan 72% 15,112 28% 5,878
Lorain 58.90% 80,124 41.10% 55,900
Lucas 57.61% 119,916 42.39% 88,227
Madison 70% 12,003 30% 5,144
Mahoning 62.95% 81,469 37.05% 47,951
Marion 67.91% 19,374 32.09% 9,157
Medina 61.56% 50,655 38.44% 31,629
Meigs 75.15% 7,861 24.85% 2,600
Mercer 77.05% 15,777 22.95% 4,698
Miami 67.77% 33,641 32.23% 15,998
Monroe 74.29% 5,651 25.71% 1,956
Montgomery 58.19% 158,639 41.81% 113,969
Morgan 71.80% 4,708 28.20% 1,849
Morrow 71.33% 11,500 28.67% 4,622
Muskingum 67.44% 25,464 32.56% 12,294
Noble 71.24% 4,592 28.76% 1,854
Ottawa 63.81% 14,429 36.19% 8,182
Paulding 74.15% 7,218 25.85% 2,516
Perry 71.13% 10,567 28.87% 4,288
Pickaway 70.57% 15,670 29.43% 6,534
Pike 74.57% 9,069 25.43% 3,092
Portage 57.52% 42,828 42.48% 31,626
Preble 70.81% 14,593 29.19% 6,015
Putnam 77.67% 14,317 22.33% 4,117
Richland 68.16% 41,254 31.84% 19,274
Ross 68.66% 20,774 31.34% 9,483
Sandusky 67.14% 19,077 32.86% 9,336
Scioto 76.70% 26,401 23.30% 8,018
Seneca 66.05% 17,377 33.95% 8,931
Shelby 73.45% 16,445 26.55% 5,943
Stark 64.18% 118,809 35.82% 66,302
Summit 57.87% 153,894 42.13% 112,045
Trumbull 61.88% 64,823 38.12% 39,933
Tuscarawas 65.93% 27,623 34.07% 14,274
Union 70.58% 15,683 29.42% 6,536
Van Wert 75.14% 11,261 24.86% 3,726
Vinton 68.59% 4,010 31.41% 1,836
Warren 69.41% 63,431 30.59% 27,960
Washington 72.27% 20,940 27.73% 8,036
Wayne 66.91% 33,967 33.09% 16,798
Williams 72.56% 13,275 27.44% 5,019
Wood 59.36% 36,530 40.64% 25,014
Wyandot 71.77% 7,773 28.23% 3,057

References

  1. ^ Official Ballot Language Archived 2006-06-22 at the Wayback Machine, Ohio Secretary of State. Accessed 21 December 2006.
  2. ^ CNN.com Election 2004 - Ballot Measures Accessed 30 November 2006.
  3. ^ Ohio Constitution, Article XV, section 11. Accessed 21 December 2006.
  4. ^ Glassman, Anthony (March 11, 2005). "Out of Issue 1, a new statewide group is born". Gay People's Chronicle. Retrieved November 18, 2010.
  5. ^ a b "State Issue 1: November 2, 2004". Ohio Secretary of State.

External links

  • The Money Behind the 2004 Marriage Amendments -- National Institute on Money in State Politics Archived 2012-03-28 at the Wayback Machine
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1: De facto ban, granted Legislature authority to ban same-sex marriage. Reversed in 2013 by the Hawaii Marriage Equality Act.