Amendment One

Posted on by David Forbes
Locals split: In Buncombe County, the vote on Amendment One was closer than in most of the state, where a wide majority of voters supported it. Here, Connie Plemmons holds a sign supporting the amendment. photo by Max Cooper

The controversial Amendment One, which will declare in the state constitution that “marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized" in North Carolina, won statewide by a wide margin, despite losing in Asheville and some other urban centers.

Sixty-one percent of state voters approved the referendum for the amendment, with 39 percent voting against. Voters in Buncombe, however, went the other way by a small margin, with 51.5 percent voting against the amendment and 48.5 percent for.

N.C. Republican Party Chair Robin Hayes praised the results. “Today citizens across the state of North Carolina voted to define marriage in our constitution,” he said in a press release. “This is a defining day for traditional values in North Carolina, and I’m proud to have voted for protecting marriage.”

Franklin Graham, CEO of the Charlotte-based Billly Graham Evangelistic Association, which sponsored newspaper ads promoting the amendment, said the vote affirmed traditional, biblical principles. “My state of North Carolina became the 31st state to approve a constitutional amendment defining marriage as being between a man and a woman,” he said in a statement issued May 10. “While the move to pass amendments defining marriage is relatively new, the definition of marriage is 8,000 years old and was not defined by man, but by God himself.”

Local critics of the amendment said that despite the outcome, they had succeeded in galvanizing opposition that will live on.

"We opened a lot of hearts and minds to an issue that had been very taboo in this state and in the South," said Liz MacNeil, the regional coordinator for the Coalition to Protect All NC Families. "We've activated hundreds of organizations, faith communities and college campuses across the state and nationally. There are going to be a lot of people fighting for what the amendment's taken away."

The coalition issued a statement on the results, declaring that "together, we have proven to North Carolina and the entire country that fear tactics, discrimination, and division may compete with love, compassion, and solidarity in the short term, but we know that the time is coming for true equality."

Buncombe wasn’t entirely alone in its opposition. Other urban areas like Charlotte and the Research Triangle opposed the amendment, along with coastal Dare County and Watauga County, home of Appalachian State University.

City of Asheville Attorney Bob Oast told Xpress he was uncertain about the amendment's impact on the city's domestic-partner benefits, a question he's currently researching and hopes to find the answer to shortly.

Local reaction to the results included an impromptu protest on election night, with some 75 people marching through downtown Asheville denouncing the amendment.

— David Forbes can be reached at 251-1333, ext. 137, or at dforbes@mountainx.com.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

3 thoughts on “Amendment One”

  1. khyber Pass

    I wish i trusted the vote counting mechanism. And that i trusted people not to destroy ballots. And that I didn’t worry about victorious people thinking their victory a reason to attack innocent people who have been defined by the victors as not fitting into ‘normal’ society. And that I didn’t have to wonder what’s the difference between a Christian Taliban and a Muslim Taliban–ot much, from what i see from here. It’s entirely too much for me to deal with……as the new fascism revs up its engines…..

  2. khyber Pass

    I wish i trusted the vote counting mechanism. And that i trusted people not to destroy ballots. And that I didn’t worry about victorious people thinking their victory a reason to attack innocent people who have been defined by the victors as not fitting into ‘normal’ society. And that I didn’t have to wonder what’s the difference between a Christian Taliban and a Muslim Taliban–ot much, from what i see from here. It’s entirely too much for me to deal with……as the new fascism revs up its engines…..

  3. khyber Pass

    oops, sorry, not used to your way of posting……without any indicator that it has been posted…..until one refreshes the page…..
    please excuse my ignorance….

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.