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Report Finds Incumbents' Chances of Re-election Unharmed by Voting Against Anti-gay Marriage Amendments

"Contrary to threats from the extreme right, legislators who take a stand against using state constitutions to enshrine anti-gay discrimination rarely suffer consequences at the polls."
— Matt Foreman, Executive Director National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

Washington D.C., January 12 — Legislators who voted against state constitutional amendments banning same sex marriage rarely faced negative consequences when running for reelection in November, according to a report issued by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute.

The Institute's report, Impact of Voting against Anti-gay Marriage Amendments on 2004 Re-election Campaigns in Five Midwestern States, analyzed the election results in Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, where state legislatures had voted in 2004 on constitutional amendments seeking to ban marriage between same-sex couples, and in some cases, any form of partner recognition such as civil unions or domestic partnerships. The report found:

o Voting against anti-gay marriage amendments did not hurt incumbents' chances of re-election.

If anything, it may have helped. The report found that 97% (100 of 103) of state legislators who voted against anti-gay constitutional amendments and ran for re-election won their races, compared to 91% of state legislators who voted for them ( 196 of 215) . In all five states combined, 19 legislators who voted for anti-gay amendments lost their seats. Only 3 legislators who voted against these amendments lost their seats.

o In Iowa and Minnesota, legislators who voted against these amendments fared significantly better than their anti-gay colleagues.

In Iowa, all 7 legislators who voted against the anti-gay amendment were re-elected, compared to 71% (10 of 14) of those who voted for it. In Minnesota, 98% (40 of 41) of House members who voted against the anti-gay amendment were re-elected, compared to 86% of those who voted for it.

o Republican legislators did not receive any electoral benefit from supporting anti-gay amendments in these five states.

In Michigan, Democrats picked up seats, closing the Republican majority in the House from 63-46 to 58-52. Although all Iowa Democrats voted against the anti-gay constitutional amendment, the Democrats picked up a net four seats, evening the balance of power in the Senate in which the majority had been Republican.

"This study shows that contrary to threats and demagoguery of extreme right, legislators who take a stand against marriage discrimination rarely suffer consequences at the polls," said Matt Foreman, the Task Force's Executive Director.

"The Task Force report confirms what I already know to be true," said State Senator D. Scott Dibble of Minneapolis, "legislators can be confident that when they cast a vote to reflect the courage of their convictions, the people of their district respect them. We found out in Minnesota that not giving in to the politics of distraction and fear allowed us to cut through the hyperbole and speak directly withy voters about the real priorities facing t our state. The election was a strong repudiation of those who would divert our attention and divide Minnesotans against each other."

The state legislatures in Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois did not pass anti-marriage constitutional amendments during the 2004 legislative sessions. In November 2004, although the vote to pass the amendment failed in the Michigan legislature, voters approved a sweeping anti-marriage/anti-civil-union constitutional amendment by ballot initiative. Since its passage Michigan's governor rescinded domestic partner health coverage for state employees. Wisconsin's legislature passed its anti-gay amendment, but it must pass again this session before being sent to the voters for ratification.

Ann Marie DeGroot, Executive Director of OutFront Minnesota, encourages legislators considering any future anti-gay constitutional amendments to vote based on fairness, rather than fear. "I hope that this gives legislators the courage not to fall for the bait of right-wing radicals who are trying to use this issue for their own extremist agendas."

Jeffrey Montgomery, Executive Director of the Triangle Foundation of Michigan, said, "With this information we can, hopefully, end the scapegoating of 'gay issues' when candidates and parties lose, and see those defeats for what they are: failures to take a stand for fairness."

The report: Impact of Voting against Anti-Gay Marriage Amendments on 2004 Re-election Campaigns, can be found at www.thetaskforce.org, home page "What's New" column and/or publications section.

For more information, contact:

The Task Force
www.thetaskforce.org

The Triangle Foundation
www.tri.org

Out-Front Minnesota
www.outfront.org

Founded in 1973, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Foundation (the Task Force) was the first national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights and advocacy organization and remains the movement's leading voice for freedom, justice, and equality. We work to build the grassroots political strength of our community by training state and local activists and leaders, working to strengthen the infrastructure of state and local allies, and organizing broad-based campaigns to build public support for complete equality for LGBT people. Our Policy Institute, the community's premiere think tank, provides research and policy analysis to support the struggle for complete equality. As part of a broader social justice movement, we work to create a world that respects and makes visible the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society. Headquartered in Washington, DC, we also have offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and Cambridge. The Task Force is a 501(c)(3) corporation incorporated in Washington, DC. Contributions to the Task Force are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law.

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Inc. ("NGLTF, Inc."), founded in 1974, works to build the grassroots political power of the LGBT community to win complete equality. We do this through direct and grassroots lobbying to defeat anti-LGBT ballot initiatives and legislation and pass pro-LGBT legislation and other measures. We also analyze and report on the positions of candidates for public office on issues of importance to the LGBT community. NGLTF, Inc. is a 501(c)(4) non-profit corporation incorporated in New York. Contributions to NGLTF, Inc. are not tax-deductible.

Copyright © 2004 National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
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The Task Force Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Tax ID #52-1624852.

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The mission of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is to build the political power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community from the ground up. We do this by training activists, organizing broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation, and by building the organizational capacity of our movement. Our Policy Institute, the movement’s premier think tank, provides research and policy analysis to support the struggle for complete equality and to counter right-wing lies. As part of a broader social justice movement, we work to create a nation that respects the diversity of human expression and identity and creates opportunity for all. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., we also have offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis and Cambridge.