D.C. Court Strikes Down Voter Referendum

Earlier today, D.C.’s highest court, the D.C. Court of Appeals voted 5-4 against the opponents of the District’s same-sex marriage law, ruling against a ballot initiative that would ask voters to overturn it.

Opponents, led by Harry Jackson, the leader of an anti-gay church in Baltimore, wanted to place the law that took effect in March which legalized same-sex marriage on the ballot in November to be decided by popular vote, in an attempt to keep marriage as only between one man and one woman, but city officials refused, claiming that marriage is a civil right and a district human rights law barred initiatives that would authorize discrimination.

The court ruling supports the action taken by the council to keep the measure off the ballot as correct. This ruling is a huge victory for D.C.’s LGBT community and equality advocates.