To Have - Or Have Not
On Super Tuesday, Californians will vote on a statewide ballot issue that defines marriage as only between a man and a woman.
CBS News Correspondent Sandra Hughes reports the measure - known as Proposition 22 - has sparked a fierce debate over who can say "I do," - and who can't.
"Proposition 22 is way beyond being about marriage. It's about, are we going to have a policy in this state of giving all couples equality - or are we going to enact further discrimination?" said Kate Kendall with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance.
30 states have passed similar legislation and the Federal Government defines marriage as only between a man and a woman.
No state currently allows same-sex marriage, but Vermont has taken the first step toward sanctioning same-sex unions, giving gay couples all the same state benefits as married couples. That's a reason to worry, say Proposition 22 supporters.
"We're required by law to recognize any marriage performed by any jurisdiction. And we believe in California, it's our state, it's our choice," said Robert Glazier, spokesperson for the Yes on Prop 22 campaign.
Proposition 22 has support from Catholic, Mormon, and evangelical Christian leaders. But three Southern California bishops - Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist - have issued a joint statement against the measure, which they say could lead to discrimination.
Religious leaders say the issue has become controversial, because the institution of marriage is central to organized religion. So while clergymen often refrain from weighing in on secular politics, many are stepping forward now. One leader who favors Proposition 22 said he "believes that public policy ought to reflect the religious value that marriage be a man and a woman for the good of society."
Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, Senator Dianne Feinstein, and other prominent officials - including President Clinton - publicly oppose the measure.
Despite a huge amount of money spent on ad campaigns by both sides, voters' opinions haven't changed much since the measure was first introduced last year. The latest Field Poll shows the proposition passing by 13 percentage points. Margin of error in the poll was plus or minus three percentage points.