In 2004, Georgia voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that banned same-sex marriage. More than 75 percent of voters approved the measure, which defined marriage as the union of a man and a woman.
Two years later, the Georgia Supreme Court unanimously upheld the constitutional ban, which capped off a two-year battle that mobilized the gay community, brought conservative voters to the polls in 2004 and threatened to become a politically charged issue in the 2006 election.
Opponents of the measure argued that the ban violated the state constitution's "single-subject rule" because it addressed not only marriage, but also civil unions.
The gay marriage constitutional amendment first came before the General Assembly in 2004 and immediately became the most controversial and emotional issue debated by lawmakers that year.
After the General Assembly approved the amendment and put it on the November 2004 ballot, the issue was credited with energizing conservative voters and helping to elect Republican candidates that fall.
About the Author
