Angered by the passage of Proposition 8, grass-roots activists are working to place measures on the ballot to reverse California's ban on same-sex unions.
The sparsely financed groups are acting independently of the No on 8 Campaign, which is challenging the measure in the state Supreme Court. They plan to use the Internet to collect the nearly 700,000 signatures of registered voters needed to get on the ballot.
Two groups took the first step toward qualifying a ballot measure last week with the state Attorney General's Office, asking for an official title and summary. A third group is expected to follow suit this week.
"Our logic is that we should not put all our eggs in one basket and wait for the Supreme Court," said Charles Lowe, who after campaigning against Proposition 8 founded a Davis-based group called Yes! on Equality. "By doing so, we lose anywhere from 8 to 12 months."
His proposed constitutional amendment would repeal Proposition 8, which holds that "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in California."
Meanwhile, two heterosexual Southern California college students – Ali Shams and Kaelan Housewright – want to take the state out of the marriage business.
Their proposed measure calls for the term "marriage" to be removed from state laws and replaced with "domestic partnerships."
Shams maintains the measure would provide equality to all couples, regardless of sexual orientation, while preserving marriage as a religious and social ceremony.
"This is a compromise," Shams said. "It says 'Get rid of marriage as a state institution. Make it a religious institution, keep politics out of it and stop the fighting.'"
Stephen Stapleton of Sacramento said he plans to file a third ballot measure request this week. Like the Yes! on Equality proposal, it would repeal Proposition 8.
Shams, a senior at the University of California, San Diego, said the Internet has made such grass-roots efforts possible. Networking sites like Facebook, he said, allow groups that don't have large sums to build support and collect signatures.
Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California and a member of the No on 8 campaign committee, said the independent efforts are not a surprise because of outrage over the measure's passage.
Kors, whose group is leading the Supreme Court challenge, said several other ballot measures are likely to be considered if Proposition 8 is upheld.
"As with any big coalition, people will submit lots of different language and ideas," Kors said, predicting gay marriage advocates will ultimately line up behind the best proposals.
Call Aurelio Rojas, Bee Capitol Bureau, (916) 326-5545.
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