South Carolina Amendment 1, the Marriage Act (2006)

South Carolina Constitution
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South Carolina Amendment 1, also known as the Marriage Act, appeared on the November 7, 2006 election ballot in South Carolina as a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment, where it was approved.

Amendment 1 amended the South Carolina Constitution "so as to provide that in this State and its political subdivisions, a marriage between one man and one woman is the only lawful domestic union that shall be valid or recognized."

Election results

Amendment 1
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		829,360	78%
No		234,316	22%

Ballot text

Question

The question asked on the ballot was:

"Must Article XVII of the Constitution of this State be amended by adding Section 15 so as to provide that in this State and its political subdivisions, a marriage between one man and one woman is the only lawful domestic union that shall be valid or recognized; that this State and its political subdivisions shall not create, recognize, or give effect to a legal status, right, or claim created by another jurisdiction respecting any other domestic union, however denominated; that this amendment shall not impair any right or benefit extended by the State or its political subdivisions other than a right or benefit arising from a domestic union that is not valid or recognized in this State; and that this amendment shall not prohibit or limit the ability of parties other than the State or its political subdivisions from entering into contracts or other legal instruments?"

Explanation

As provided for in South Carolina law, election officials include a neutral explanation on the ballot of each ballot question. The explanation provided alongside the question for proposed Amendment 1 in 2006 said:

"This amendment provides that the institution of marriage in South Carolina consists only of the union between one man and one woman. No other domestic union is valid and legal. The State and its political subdivisions are prohibited from creating or recognizing any right or claim respecting any other domestic union, whatever it may be called, or from giving effect to any such right or benefit recognized in any other state or jurisdiction.

However, this amendment also makes clear it does not impair rights or benefits extended by this State, or its political subdivisions not arising from other domestic unions, nor does the amendment prohibit private parties from entering into contracts or other legal instruments."

Campaign finance

Donors to the campaign for the measure:

• Palmetto Family Council: $107,067
• scformarriage.org: $9,055
• Total: $116,122

Donors to the campaign against the measure:

• South Carolina Equality Committee: $301,861
• Every Family Matters: $36,500
• South Carolina Equality Coalition Commission: $18,025
• South Carolina Log Cabin Republicans: $14,041
• Total: $370,427
• Overall Total: $486,549

See also

Suggest a link

• South Carolina 2006 ballot measures
• List of South Carolina ballot measures
• 2006 ballot measures
• South Carolina State Senate
• South Carolina House of Representatives