Louisiana voters to decide fate of marriage amendment

Louisiana voters will have the final say this fall on a measure that aims to ban same-sex marriage, in addition to four other proposed amendments to the state constitution. The most-debated proposed amendment will appear on the September 18 ballot. The measure aims to lock into the state constitution a ban on same-sex marriages and civil unions, prohibiting state judges and other officials from recognizing same-sex unions performed in other states. The proposal passed overwhelmingly in the house and senate, with the major debate focusing on when it would go to the voters. Because it has strong support from conservatives, who tend to vote Republican, some Democrats opposed putting it on the November 2 congressional and presidential ballot.