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Wisconsin Same-Sex Marriage Amendment (2016)

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Same-Sex Marriage Amendment
Flag of Wisconsin.png
Election date
November 8, 2016
Topic
LGBT issues
Status
Not on the ballot
Type
Constitutional amendment		Origin
State legislature

The Wisconsin Same-Sex Marriage Amendment did not appear on the November 8, 2016, ballot in Wisconsin as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment.

The measure, upon voter approval, would have repealed the state's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.[1]

The measure was proposed by State Representative JoCasta Zamarripa (D-8) and State Senator Tim Carpenter (D-3).[1]

In 2006, Wisconsinites voted on and approved the Marriage Amendment, which defined marriage as between one man and one woman.

Support

Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa (D-8) and Sen. Tim Carpenter (D-3) sponsored the measure in the legislature.

Supporters

Officials

Organizations

  • Fair Wisconsin[1]

Arguments

  • A joint statement was issued by state legislators from Dane County. The statement argued the following:[2]
  • "Love is something that everyone dreams to have, and everyone has the right to love. Despite the politics that get brought into it, this is not, and should not be, a partisan issue. Progressive members of the Legislature, like those of us here in Dane County, support gay marriage because it is simply a matter of fairness and equality. With each passing year, the prohibition of same-sex marriages seems outdated, even cruel."
  • "Conservatives claim to believe in personal liberty and minimal government interference in people’s lives. They also consider the family unit to be the fundamental building block of society. Marriage equality would strengthen family bonds, yet the GOP in Wisconsin has not shown any support for gay rights, let alone same-sex marriage. All children should live in a state where their families are legally recognized."
  • "We should encourage people to make long-term commitments to each other and build families, so as to foster strong, stable communities and promote personal responsibility. Society will be strengthened as more people take responsibility for one another in marriage."
  • "In 2006, the voters, for the first time in our history as a state, amended the Wisconsin Constitution to limit rights, instead of expanding them. While this was only seven years ago, we know that the tide of history is lifting us quickly toward equality, and away from intolerance. We are on the right side of history, and the 2006 referendum will remain in the past, as an unfortunate black mark on our state’s progressive tradition."

Opposition

Opponents

Officials

Organizations

  • Wisconsin Family Action[4]

Arguments

  • Assembly Speaker Rob Vos (R-63) said the issue was finished in 2006 and that the issue should not be readdressed during the session. He stated, "Going back and rehashing things that have already been debated and pretty clearly decided is not the direction I want to go. I want to focus on moving forward, not rehashing every single thing that's happened in the past."[4]

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Wisconsin Constitution

The Wisconsin State Legislature would have needed to approve the amendment by majority vote in two successive sessions.

Similar measures

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Isthmus Daily Page, "Democratic lawmakers to circulate bill to repeal Wisconsin's same-sex marriage ban," February 10, 2014
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Capital Times, "Dane County legislators: It's time to bring marriage equality to Wisconsin," February 14, 2014
  3. ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Scott Walker, Mary Burke state positions on minimum wage, gay marriage," February 5, 2014
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Legislative push launched to end Wisconsin's gay marriage ban," February 13, 2014
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