More Counties Support Marriage Amendment

Special Report - March 22, 2012
Earlier this week, Union and Lincoln County’s Boards of Commissioners joined a growing number of counties and cities in North Carolina that have publicly endorsed the passage of the Marriage Protection Amendment on the May 8 primary ballot. The two counties’ resolutions were nearly identical in language, stating that the Board for each respective county “endorses this Amendment to the North Carolina Constitution which states that the only domestic legal union that is valid or recognized in North Carolina is marriage between one man and one woman; and … encourages voter participation on this important issue to be voted upon on May 8, 2012.”

The Union County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the resolution on March 19. It also pointed out that the Board approved a similar resolution on April 6, 2009 “to support giving voters an opportunity to support or deny an amendment to the North Carolina Constitution defining marriage.”

Additionally, on March 12, the Spruce Pine Town Council and McDowell County both expressed support for the Marriage Protection Amendment. According to the McDowell News, the McDowell County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution by a four to one vote that is nearly identical to the language approved by the Wake County Board of Commissioners in February. The Spruce Pine Town Council expressed their “personal support for the approval by the voters of North Carolina of the Amendment to the North Carolina Constitution establishing that in North Carolina marriage is a legal relationship recognized to exist only between a man and a woman.” Union, Lincoln, and McDowell Counties join Brunswick, Stanly, and Wake Counties in endorsing the MPA, along with the town of Spruce Pine.

On March 12, the Chapel Hill Town Council approved a resolution opposing the MPA. The resolution points out that the Chapel Hill Town Council opposed both of the MPA bills filed in the General Assembly last year. It alleges that the amendment “would only serve to express hostility against a minority group,” and highlights Chapel Hill’s various LGBT-friendly policies and efforts. Additionally, the Herald Sun also reports that on March 15 “the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce issued a statement asking its members and their employees to vote against the amendment.”

Chapel Hill joins Orange County and the cities of Raleigh and Greensboro in publicly opposing the passage of the MPA.

Related resources:
Obama Opposes NC Marriage Amendment - March 19, 2012
Stanley County Endorses Marriage Amendment - March 13, 2012
Brunswick County Supports Marriage - March 7, 2012
Wake County Endorses Marriage Amendment - February 22, 2012
Marriage Resources Page
Orange County Opposes Marriage Amendment - January 27, 2012
Faith Leaders Affirm Traditional Marriage - January 20, 2012
Raleigh Opposes Marriage Amendment - December 7, 2011
Polls Find NC Supports Marriage - October 14, 2011
Governor Opposes Marriage Amendment - October 11, 2011
Likely Voters Support the Marriage Amendment - October 6, 2011
Same-Sex Couples Seek Marriage Licenses - October 4, 2011
Marriage Debate Heats Up - September 22, 2011
Marriage Amendment Goes to Voters - September 14, 2011
Marriage Scores on Survey - June 20, 2011
Marriage Amendment Support Continues - January 3, 2011

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