Thursday, January 10, 2013
Roseville's John Marty contends: "I don't think human rights should be put up to the vote of people."
Minnesota's marriage debate, which took center stage during this past fall's state elections, now appears headed for an airing at the state Capitol. State Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, told Patch he plans to introduce a bill within the next two weeks that would lift Minnesota's ban on same-sex marriage. (To see an earlier Patch story on this topic, click on this link.) "I don't think anyone's rights should be subject to public opinion," Marty said. He was referring to the failed attempt by conservatives and traditionalists this past fall to enact a state Constitutional amendment that would have legally defined marriage as only being between one man and woman. (Click on to this Patch report for background.) "Why is government telling the …
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
SW Minneapolis DFL leader coy on prospects.
With a resounding victory Tuesday night and the DFL now primed to assume control of the 2013 legislative session, a prominent state senator is suggesting incoming lawmakers could try to repeal a Minnesota law banning same-sex marriage. A prominent Southwest Minneapolis legislator, though, said it was too early to discuss legalization. Sign up for our free daily newsletter | "Like" us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter Roseville state Sen. John Marty said he sees Tuesday night's election results as a changing of the guard. After just two years at the helm of the Minnesota Legislature, Republicans lost control of both the House and Senate on Tuesday night—a defeat at least some Democrats are attributing in part to the marriage and Voter …
While proponents were saying the race was still too early to call, the Associated Press called the race shortly before 2 a.m. The vote means the state constitution will not define marriage as only between a man and a woman.
The Minnesota Marriage Amendment has been rejected. The campaign to amend the Minnesota state constitution to limit the definition of marriage to strictly between heterosexual couples was defeated Tuesday by more than 51 percent of a statewide vote. With 92 percent of state precincts reporting, the Associated Press reported shortly before 2 a.m. Wednesday that Amendment 1—informally known as the Minnesota Marriage Amendment—had failed: "Vote No" won. Speaking to a cheering crowd of hundreds at St Paul's River Centre, Richard Carlbom, the campaign manager for Minnesotans United for All Families, told audiences that Minnesota was the first state in the nation to reject a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage at the ballot …
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Facebook app lets amendment opponents predict votes.
This week, conservatives pushing a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage have been decrying what they say is "intimidation" from their opponents. At issue is a new Facebook app from Minnesotans United for All Families, called "The kNOw Tool." According to a story in CityPages, prominent amendment supporters are taking to social media, saying the tool will let MN United campaign workers bully and badger same-sex marriage opponents. In an interview with Patch, an MN United spokesperson categorically rejected the claims from Minnesota for Marriage spokesperson Andy Parrish and amendment backer state Rep. Mary Franson. The app essentially lets MN United supporters participate in a phone bank from the comfort of their own …
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Issue comes before voters in November.
A new set of survey results released Wednesday morning suggests support for a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage rests on a knife's edge. The poll, by Public Policy Polling (PPP), said 48 percent of Minnesotans support the amendment and 47 percent oppose it, with less than sixty days to go until the November election. State law already bans same-sex marriage. "In January we found 48/44 support for the ban, while in June we found 49/43 opposition," said a statement from the pollsters, published on PPP's website. "It looks like a toss up." Opinions broke down by age group thus: Women (52/41), Democrats (78/16), and voters under 45 (50/45) all oppose the ban. Men (55/41), Republicans (80/17), independents (51/42), and …
Measure is on the November 2012 ballot.
Update 12:45 p.m. 9-12-12: A new poll from Public Policy Polling shows support for the amendment at 48 percent and opposition against it at 47 percent. With a new poll suggesting a same-sex marriage ban could pass this November, supporters of a proposed state constitutional amendment doing just that may have walked around with an extra spring in their step on Tuesday. Current state law already bans same-sex marriage. According to the KSTP/SurveyUSA Poll, support for the measure sits at about 50 percent, and opposition against the amendment at about 43 percent. The remaining eight percent or so are undecided, the station said. The station also broke down poll results by geography: The amendment is favored in all regions of the state, with …
Monday, August 27, 2012
On Monday, the justices voted 4-2 in favor of the Republican-controlled Legislature on the wording of the voter ID and same-sex marriage amendments.
On Nov. 6, the ballot titles and questions for the voter ID and same-sex marriage amendments will appear as the Republican-controlled Legislature wrote them, according to the Star Tribune. The Minnesota Supreme Court on Monday affirmed the wording legislators chose, instead of those submitted by Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. On the ballot, the title above the voter ID amendment will be, "Photo Identification Required for Voting." Ritchie changed it to "Changes to In-Person & Absentee Voting & Voter Registration; Provisional Ballots," but Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea and justices G. Barry Anderson, Christopher Dietzen and David Stras rejected his change. The title above the same-sex marriage amendment will say, "Recognition of …
Sunday, August 5, 2012
This week's selection includes Bachmann's hope to team with Ellison on legislation, an abuse survivor's story of healing, apartment fires and the closing of a bowling alley.
Editor’s Note: Every week we bring you a sampling of stories from Patch sites in the west metro: Edina, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Shakopee, St. Louis Park and St. Michael. Plymouth Man's Body Found in Minnesota River Identified The body of a man found deceased in the Minnesota River Tuesday in Savage has been identified as Alan Jacob McMullen of Plymouth who had been missing since July 29. The Medical Examiner’s Office, along with Plymouth Police and the Scott County Sheriff’s Office are investigating. Richfield Couple: 'We Wanted Our Marriage Recognized By An Entire Country, Not Just A State' Residents Kathy Luebbe and Rev. Dr. Robyn Provis say being gay isn’t the most interesting …
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Dale Carpenter is a professor of constitutional law at the University of Minnesota.
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Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Editor's Note: Prof. Dale Carpenter sent in this note in response to a poll and discussion on Patch about Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's choice of a title for a constitution amendment on the 2012 ballot that would ban same-sex marriage. One thing the news outlets have been missing is that it's actually the legal responsibility of the secretary of state, not the legislature, to determine the ballot title. That has been the case since 1919, when the Secretary of State was given authority to choose an "appropriate title" for amendments passed by the legislature. The idea is that the governmental body that wants the amendment should not be allowed single-handedly to stack the deck in its favor by choosing the title as well. It's a…
Friday, November 11, 2011
Personal stories punctuate the evening at Hopkins Center for the Arts.
More than 200 people and their stories of love, family and discrimination filled the hall Wednesday night at Hopkins Center for the Arts. U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison led a panel discussion focused on the proposal to amend Minnesota's state constitution to ban same-sex marriage. That measure will be on the 2012 ballot. Panelists included Minnesota Sen. Scott Dibble; Monica Meyer, OutFront Minnesota Executive Director; Jann Garofano, a teacher involved with Anoka-Hennepin Education Minnesota; Phillip Miner, director of LGBT programs at the University of Minnesota; and Justin Anderson, an OutFront intern. Ellison turned the focus of the two-hour forum largely to audience members, who voiced questions, concerns and rallying calls. Ellison left the…
Dan Johnson
11:41 am on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Marriage it is a fundamental right of the individual. The only eligibility requirement for fundamental rights is being human. Reasonable restrictions may be made only when a compelling and legitimate governmental interest can withstand judicial scrutiny. Most can agree with the courts that reasonable restrictions include age, ability to demonstrate informed consent, and not being closely related … more ›