2004 Ohio Issue 1
Referendum banning same-sex marriage
State Issue 1
Choice
Votes
%
Yes
3,329,335
61.71%
No
2,065,462
38.29%
Valid votes
5,394,797
94.27%
Invalid or blank votes
327,646
5.73%
Total votes
5,722,443
100.00%
Registered voters/turnout
7,972,826
67.66%
Yes
70–80%
60–70%
50–60%
No
50–60%
Source: [ 1]
Section 15.11 is a provision in the Ohio Constitution that makes it unconstitutional for the state to recognize or perform same-sex marriages or civil unions .[ 2] Approved as a constitutional amendment in 2004 under the name of "Issue One", it received support from 61.7% of voters.[ 3]
The text of the amendment states:
Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state and its political subdivisions. This state and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage. [ 4]
The LGBT rights organization Equality Ohio was founded in response to the passage of Issue 1.[ 5]
Many political experts credit the amendment with bolstering turnout in rural Ohio, leading to many religious supporters of President George W. Bush to turnout to the polls, helping him win the state of Ohio by a narrow 2 point margin.
Results
Issue 1[ 6]
Choice
Votes
%
Yes
3,329,335
61.71
No
2,065,462
38.29
County breakdown
Breakdown of voting by county[ 6]
County
Yes
Votes
No
Votes
Adams
75.34%
8,700
24.66%
2,847
Allen
71.04%
33,765
28.96%
13,764
Ashland
70.48%
17,447
29.52%
7,307
Ashtabula
61.10%
27,133
38.90%
17,275
Athens
44.22%
12,816
55.78%
16,166
Auglaize
75.18%
17,051
24.82%
5,628
Belmont
72.32%
23,521
27.68%
9,002
Brown
74.12%
14,394
25.88%
5,026
Butler
68.08%
109,779
31.92%
51,462
Carroll
70.75%
9,822
29.25%
4,060
Champaign
70.17%
12,915
29.83%
5,491
Clark
63.88%
42,661
36.12%
24,126
Clermont
68.21%
58,172
31.79%
27,108
Clinton
71.65%
12,791
28.35%
5,062
Columbiana
70.14%
33,970
29.86%
14,465
Coshocton
69.78%
11,693
30.22%
5,063
Crawford
70.92%
15,197
29.08%
6,232
Cuyahoga
53.26%
335,678
46.74%
294,569
Darke
72.93%
18,803
27.07%
6,980
Defiance
72.40%
13,048
27.60%
4,975
Delaware
62.19%
48,844
37.81%
29,696
Erie
63.59%
24,466
36.41%
14,007
Fairfield
68.02%
45,423
31.98%
21,352
Fayette
74.83%
8,544
25.17%
2,874
Franklin
51.99%
248,873
48.01%
229,841
Fulton
71.77%
15,041
28.23%
5,917
Gallia
79.76%
10,897
20.24%
2,766
Geauga
59.93%
29,360
40.07%
19,630
Greene
62.04%
48,100
37.96%
29,430
Guernsey
69.23%
11,781
30.77%
5,237
Hamilton
56.30%
229,118
43.70%
177,850
Hancock
72.46%
24,787
27.54%
9,422
Hardin
74.49%
9,710
25.51%
3,325
Harrison
69.67%
5,566
30.33%
2,423
Henry
73.63%
10,834
26.37%
3,881
Highland
76.61%
13,819
23.39%
4,219
Hocking
69.99%
8,935
30.01%
3,832
Holmes
76.54%
8,525
23.46%
2,613
Huron
68.69%
17,180
31.31%
7,831
Jackson
74.98%
10,332
25.02%
3,448
Jefferson
72.41%
25,726
27.59%
9,801
Knox
68.19%
17,815
31.81%
8,310
Lake
57.63%
65,012
42.37%
47,796
Lawrence
79.44%
21,155
20.56%
5,474
Licking
66.28%
51,612
33.72%
26,262
Logan
72%
15,112
28%
5,878
Lorain
58.90%
80,124
41.10%
55,900
Lucas
57.61%
119,916
42.39%
88,227
Madison
70%
12,003
30%
5,144
Mahoning
62.95%
81,469
37.05%
47,951
Marion
67.91%
19,374
32.09%
9,157
Medina
61.56%
50,655
38.44%
31,629
Meigs
75.15%
7,861
24.85%
2,600
Mercer
77.05%
15,777
22.95%
4,698
Miami
67.77%
33,641
32.23%
15,998
Monroe
74.29%
5,651
25.71%
1,956
Montgomery
58.19%
158,639
41.81%
113,969
Morgan
71.80%
4,708
28.20%
1,849
Morrow
71.33%
11,500
28.67%
4,622
Muskingum
67.44%
25,464
32.56%
12,294
Noble
71.24%
4,592
28.76%
1,854
Ottawa
63.81%
14,429
36.19%
8,182
Paulding
74.15%
7,218
25.85%
2,516
Perry
71.13%
10,567
28.87%
4,288
Pickaway
70.57%
15,670
29.43%
6,534
Pike
74.57%
9,069
25.43%
3,092
Portage
57.52%
42,828
42.48%
31,626
Preble
70.81%
14,593
29.19%
6,015
Putnam
77.67%
14,317
22.33%
4,117
Richland
68.16%
41,254
31.84%
19,274
Ross
68.66%
20,774
31.34%
9,483
Sandusky
67.14%
19,077
32.86%
9,336
Scioto
76.70%
26,401
23.30%
8,018
Seneca
66.05%
17,377
33.95%
8,931
Shelby
73.45%
16,445
26.55%
5,943
Stark
64.18%
118,809
35.82%
66,302
Summit
57.87%
153,894
42.13%
112,045
Trumbull
61.88%
64,823
38.12%
39,933
Tuscarawas
65.93%
27,623
34.07%
14,274
Union
70.58%
15,683
29.42%
6,536
Van Wert
75.14%
11,261
24.86%
3,726
Vinton
68.59%
4,010
31.41%
1,836
Warren
69.41%
63,431
30.59%
27,960
Washington
72.27%
20,940
27.73%
8,036
Wayne
66.91%
33,967
33.09%
16,798
Williams
72.56%
13,275
27.44%
5,019
Wood
59.36%
36,530
40.64%
25,014
Wyandot
71.77%
7,773
28.23%
3,057
References
External links
U.S. same-sex unions ballot measures
1990s 2000s
California Proposition 22 (2000, ban)
Nebraska Initiative 416 (2000, ban)
Nevada Ballot Question 2 (2000 & 2002, ban)
Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2 (2004, ban)
Louisiana Constitutional Amendment 1 (2004, ban)
Georgia Constitutional Amendment 1 (2004, ban)
Kentucky Constitutional Amendment 1 (2004, ban)
Ohio State Issue 1 (2004, ban)
Mississippi Amendment 1 (2004, ban)
Oklahoma State Question 711 (2004, ban)
Arkansas Constitutional Amendment 3 (2004, ban)
Michigan Proposal 04-2 (2004, ban)
Montana Initiative 96 (2004, ban)
Utah Constitutional Amendment 3 (2004, ban)
North Dakota Constitutional Measure 1 (2004, ban)
Oregon Ballot Measure 36 (2004, ban)
Kansas Amendment 1 (2005)
Texas Proposition 2 (2005, ban)
Alabama Amendment 774 (2006)
South Carolina Amendment 1 (2006, ban)
Virginia Question 1 (2006, ban)
Tennessee Amendment 1 (2006, ban)
Wisconsin Referendum 1 (2006, ban)
Arizona Proposition 107 (2006, constitutional ban defeated)
Colorado Amendment 43 (2006, ban)
South Dakota Amendment C (2006)
Idaho Amendment 2 (2006, ban)
Florida Amendment 2 (2008, ban)
Arizona Proposition 102 (2008, ban)
California Proposition 8 (2008, ban)
Maine Question 1 (2009, legalizing legislation defeated)
2010s 2020s