# 2012 Minnesota Amendment 1

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
Elections in Minnesota :
General elections
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026 :
Federal elections
Presidential elections
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
Dem
2004
Dem
2008
Dem
Rep
2012
2016
Dem
Rep
2020
Dem
Rep
2024
Dem
Rep
LMN
Senate elections
Class 1
1858
1863
1869
1875
1881
1886
1892
1899
1901 (sp)
1905
1911
1916
1922
1928
1934
1940
1946
1952
1958
1964
1970
1976
1978 (sp)
1982
1988
1994
2000
2006
2012
2018
2024
Class 2
1858
1865
1871 (sp)
1871
1877
1881 (sp)
1883
1888
1895
1901
1907
1913
1918
1923 (sp)
1924
1930
1936 (sp)
1936
1942 (sp)
1942
1948
1954
1960
1966
1972
1978
1984
1990
1996
2002
2008
2014
2018 (sp)
2020
2026
House of Representatives
1849 (Terr)
1850 (Terr)
1852 (Terr)
1854 (Terr)
1856 (Terr)
1857
1859
1860
1862
1864
1866
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1929
5th sp
7th sp
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1977
7th sp
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
5th
6th
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
1st sp
2024
2026 :
State executive elections
Gubernatorial elections
1857
1859
1861
1863
1865
1867
1869
1871
1873
1875
1877
1879
1881
1883
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Lieutenant gubernatorial elections
1857
1859
1861
1863
1865
1867
1869
1871
1873
1875
1877
1879
1881
1883
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1966
1970
Secretary of State elections
1857
1859
1861
1863
1865
1867
1869
1871
1873
1875
1877
1879
1881
1883
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
State Auditor elections
1857
1863
1869
1875
1881
1886
1890
1894
1898
1902
1906
1910
1914
1918
1922
1926
1930
1934
1938
1942
1946
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Attorney General elections
1857
1859
1861
1863
1865
1867
1869
1871
1873
1875
1877
1879
1881
1883
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026 :
State legislative elections
Senate elections
1890
1894
1898
1902
1906
1910
1976
1980
1982
1986
1990
1992
1996
2000
2002
2006
2010
2012
2016
2020
2022
2026
House of Representatives elections
1910
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
Special elections
Senate
House of Representatives :
Ballot questions
2012
Amendment 1
Amendment 2 :
Minneapolis
General elections
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2025
Mayoral elections
1957
1959
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2025
City Council elections
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2023
2025
City ballot questions
Question 2 (2021) :
Saint Paul
Mayoral elections
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2025 :
vte :
Minnesota Amendment 1 (also called Minnesota Marriage Amendment or Minnesota Gay Marriage Amendment) was a legislatively referred constitutional amendment proposed to ban marriage between same-sex couples in the state of Minnesota, that appeared on the ballot on November 6, 2012. It was rejected by 51.19% of voters.

## Legislative approval

On May 11, 2011, the Minnesota Senate passed a bill to place a proposed amendment to the state constitution on the ballot that would ban same-sex marriage. The vote was 37–27, with all Republicans and one Democrat voting for the amendment. An identical bill was passed by the House on May 21; the vote was 70–62 with two Democrats and all but four Republicans voting for the amendment. The proposed amendment was on the ballot on November 6, 2012. The proposed amendment read: "Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota." It did not refer to civil unions or domestic partnerships. The question being presented to voters on the ballot read: "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?"

## Support and opposition

In March 2012, Minnesota's Roman Catholic bishops had an audience with Pope Benedict XVI, who told them that preserving the traditional definition of marriage was a priority. Roman Catholic Archbishop John Nienstedt of St. Paul and Minneapolis organized leaders of different religious denominations in support of the amendment and committed his own church to spend $650,000 on behalf of its passage. In September he joined other religious leaders in a demonstration in support of the amendment at the State Capitol. The Minnesota Catholic Conference Marriage Defense Fund contributed more than half the $1.2 million raised by Minnesota for Marriage, the principal organization supporting the amendment, including $130,000 from the Knights of Columbus, a national Catholic organization.
Immediately after the Minnesota legislature voted to put Amendment 1 on the ballot, Outfront Minnesota and Project 515, two groups working for LGBT rights in the state, formed Minnesotans United for All Families – the main campaign organization that would work to defeat the amendment. Over the course of a year and a half, Minnesotans United would raise and spend over $12 million, more than double the pro-amendment side. More importantly, the Minnesotans United campaign formed a coalition group of allies with almost 700 member organizations that included political parties, labor unions, veterans, civic groups and businesses like General Mills. The board and staff of the campaign reflected the same kind of diversity as its coalition partners and even included prominent Republicans. Drawing on lessons learned from past campaigns in other states, Minnesotans United did not cede the religious ground – it hired a faith director to reach out to communities of faith, and more than 100 of its coalition members were churches and other faith groups from around the state.
The centerpiece of the Minnesotans United for All Families campaign became its huge grassroots effort to have conversations with the voters about marriage. Rather than focus on equal rights and fairness, as was done in previous campaigns, Minnesotans United and its thousands of volunteers, had personal conversations over the phones and face to face about how marriage had the same importance and meaning for both straight and same-sex couples. This messaging strategy, which was also used in the campaign's ad campaign, helped move conflicted voters and resulted in Minnesota being the first state, after 30 attempts, to defeat a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Minnesotans United is likely the biggest grassroots campaign in the state's history, having had 27,000 volunteers knock on over 400,000 doors and make over 900,000 phone calls in the final eight days of the campaign
The Minnesota arm of President Obama's presidential re-election campaign announced his opposition to this proposed constitutional amendment in April. Advertisements in opposition to the amendment also featured Minnesota Vikings football player Chris Kluwe.

## Opinion polls

Various public opinion surveys of Minnesota residents have asked questions regarding same-sex marriage. The questions vary, with some surveys referring directly to the proposed Amendment and others asking more general questions.
| Date of opinion poll | Conducted by | Sample size | For amendment | Against amendment | Undecided/Other | Margin of error | Question |
| May 2–5, 2011 | Star Tribune | 806 adults | 39% | 55% | 7% (Don't know/refused to answer) | ±4.7% | "Please tell me if you would favor or oppose amending the Minnesota constitution to ban same-sex marriage." |
| May 23–24, 2011 | SurveyUSA | 552 RV | 51% | 40% | 2% not sure 8% not vote | ±4.3% | "If an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution were on the ballot, that defines marriage as between one man and one woman, would you vote FOR the amendment? Against the amendment? Or not vote on the measure?" |
| May 27–30, 2011 | Public Policy Polling | 1,179 voters | 46% | 47% | 7% not sure | ±2.9% | "Should the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?" |
| October 17–26, 2011 | St. Cloud State University Survey | 626 LV | 43.6% | 47.4% | 9% | ±5% | "Should the Minnesota constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?" |
| November 2–3, 2011 | Princeton Survey Research Associates International | 807 adults | 48% | 43% | 8% (Don't know/refused to answer) | ±4.4% | "Would you favor or oppose amending the Minnesota constitution to allow marriage only between a man and a woman?" |
| November 2–7, 2011 | SurveyUSA | 543 RV | 46% | 40% | 4% not sure 10% not vote | ±4.3% | "If an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution were on the ballot, that defines marriage as between one man and one woman, would you vote FOR the amendment? Against the amendment? Or not vote on the measure?" |
| January 21–22, 2012 | Public Policy Polling | 1,236 voters | 48% | 44% | 8% not sure | ±2.8% | "Should the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?" |
| January 31 – February 2, 2012 | SurveyUSA | 542 RV | 47% | 39% | 4% not sure 10% not vote | ±4.3% | "An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution on the ballot defines marriage as between one man and one woman. Will you vote FOR the amendment? Against the amendment? Or not vote on the measure?" |
| May 31 – June 3, 2012 | Public Policy Polling | 973 voters | 43% | 49% | 7% not sure | ±3.1% | "Should the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?" |
| July 17–19, 2012 | SurveyUSA | 552 LV | 52% | 37% | 6% not sure 5% not vote | ±4.3% | "An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution on the ballot defines marriage as between one man and one woman. Will you vote FOR the amendment? Against the amendment? Or not vote on the measure?" |
| September 6–9, 2012 | SurveyUSA | 551 LV | 50% | 43% | 8% | ±4.3% | "Also on the ballot is a ballot measure about marriage. It asks: Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?" |
| September 10–11, 2012 | Public Policy Polling | 824 LV | 48% | 47% | 5% not sure | ±3.4% | "Should the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?" |
| September 17–19, 2012 | Mason-Dixon Polling and Research, Inc. | 800 LV | 49% | 47% | 4% | ±3.5% | "Another [amendment on the November ballot] asks "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as marriage in Minnesota?" If the election were held today, would you vote: "YES", in favor of the amendment; "NO", against the amendment." |
| October 5–8, 2012 | Public Policy Polling | 937 LV | 46% | 49% | 5% not sure 1% won't vote | ±3.2% | "Should the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?" |
| October 12–14, 2012 | SurveyUSA | 550 LV | 47% | 46% | 7% | ±4.3% | "Also on the ballot is a ballot measure about marriage. It asks: Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?" |
| October 15–21, 2012 | St. Cloud State University Survey | 600 LV | 44% | 51% | 5% | ±5% | "The second proposed amendment to the Minnesota Constitution asks "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman be valid or recognized as marriage in Minnesota?" If you were to vote today would you vote for the amendment, vote against the amendment, or not vote on this issue?" |
| October 23–25, 2012 | Mason-Dixon Polling and Research, Inc. | 800 LV | 48% | 47% | 5% | ±3.5% | "Another ballot question asks "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as marriage in Minnesota?" If the election were held today, would you vote: YES in favor of the amendment; NO against the amendment" |
| October 26–28, 2012 | SurveyUSA | 574 LV | 48% | 47% | 5% | ±4.2% | "Also on the ballot is a ballot measure about marriage. It asks: Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?" |
| November 1–3, 2012 | SurveyUSA | 556 LV | 47% | 48% | 5% | ±4.2% | "Also on the ballot is a ballot measure about marriage. It asks: Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?" |
| November 2–3, 2012 | Public Policy Polling | 1,164 LV | 45% | 52% | 3% not sure 0% won't vote | ±2.9% | "Should the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?" |

## Results

Constitutional Amendment 1 Recognition of Marriage Solely Between One Man and One Woman :
| Choice | Votes | % |
| No | 1,510,366 | 51.19 |
| Yes | 1,399,675 | 47.44 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 40,398 | 1.37 |
| Total votes | 2,950,780 | 100.00 |
| Source: |||

### County breakdown

Breakdown of voting by county :
| County | No | Votes | Yes | Votes |
| Aitkin | 38.2% | 3,428 | 61.8% | 5,699 |
| Anoka | 49.4% | 90,468 | 50.6% | 94,690 |
| Becker | 37.1% | 5,848 | 62.9% | 10,364 |
| Beltrami | 48.9% | 10,563 | 51.1% | 11,334 |
| Benton | 44.6% | 8,606 | 55.4% | 10,943 |
| Big Stone | 32.9% | 887 | 67.1% | 1,888 |
| Blue Earth | 54.2% | 18,291 | 45.8% | 15,796 |
| Brown | 33.6% | 4,604 | 66.4% | 9,312 |
| Carlton | 48.1% | 8,758 | 51.9% | 9,632 |
| Carver | 49.9% | 25,953 | 50.1% | 26,552 |
| Cass | 38.1% | 5,996 | 61.9% | 10,041 |
| Chippewa | 36.9% | 2,252 | 63.1% | 3,944 |
| Chisago | 43.1% | 12,459 | 56.9% | 16,815 |
| Clay | 49.5% | 13,903 | 50.5% | 14,652 |
| Clearwater | 29.1% | 1,168 | 70.9% | 3,000 |
| Cook | 60.1% | 1,978 | 39.9% | 1,334 |
| Cottonwood | 30.0% | 1,759 | 70.0% | 4,143 |
| Crow Wing | 40.2% | 13,770 | 59.8% | 20,954 |
| Dakota | 55.4% | 125,705 | 44.6% | 103,250 |
| Dodge | 41.4% | 4,199 | 58.6% | 6,096 |
| Douglas | 36.4% | 7,474 | 63.6% | 13,436 |
| Faribault | 35.1% | 2,668 | 64.9% | 5,046 |
| Fillmore | 43.4% | 4,609 | 56.6% | 6,196 |
| Freeborn | 40.0% | 6,518 | 60.0% | 10,097 |
| Goodhue | 47.6% | 12,079 | 52.4% | 13,583 |
| Grant | 36.1% | 1,226 | 63.9% | 2,241 |
| Hennepin | 65.3% | 433,803 | 34.7% | 237,084 |
| Houston | 42.3% | 4,256 | 57.7% | 6,066 |
| Hubbard | 38.1% | 4,310 | 61.9% | 7,185 |
| Isanti | 39.0% | 7,742 | 61.0% | 12,391 |
| Itasca | 44.3% | 10,412 | 55.7% | 13,392 |
| Jackson | 31.2% | 1,665 | 68.8% | 3,785 |
| Kanabec | 35.5% | 2,828 | 64.5% | 5,281 |
| Kandiyohi | 37.2% | 7,774 | 62.8% | 13,523 |
| Kittson | 33.6% | 780 | 66.4% | 1,629 |
| Koochiching | 46.2% | 2,910 | 53.8% | 3,504 |
| Lac qui Parle | 32.3% | 1,257 | 67.7% | 2,711 |
| Lake | 49.0% | 3,268 | 51.0% | 3,496 |
| Lake of the Woods | 36.1% | 769 | 63.9% | 1,436 |
| Le Sueur | 42.4% | 6,163 | 57.6% | 8,559 |
| Lincoln | 29.8% | 879 | 70.2% | 2,211 |
| Lyon | 38.0% | 4,628 | 62.0% | 7,725 |
| McLeod | 34.3% | 6,218 | 65.7% | 12,253 |
| Mahnomen | 38.6% | 807 | 61.4% | 1,350 |
| Marshall | 28.2% | 1,119 | 71.8% | 3,541 |
| Martin | 32.4% | 3,466 | 67.6% | 7,465 |
| Meeker | 35.5% | 4,264 | 64.5% | 7,937 |
| Mille Lacs | 39.3% | 5,053 | 60.7% | 8,004 |
| Morrison | 32.1% | 5,228 | 67.9% | 11,424 |
| Mower | 43.2% | 7,818 | 56.8% | 10,603 |
| Murray | 29.0% | 1,337 | 71.0% | 3,419 |
| Nicollet | 53.0% | 9,595 | 47.0% | 8,670 |
| Nobles | 25.7% | 2,035 | 74.3% | 6,393 |
| Norman | 37.0% | 1,132 | 63.0% | 2,050 |
| Olmsted | 51.0% | 39,053 | 49.0% | 38,525 |
| Otter Tail | 33.5% | 10,202 | 66.5% | 21,180 |
| Pennington | 38.6% | 2,444 | 61.4% | 4,030 |
| Pine | 37.8% | 5,216 | 62.2% | 8,756 |
| Pipestone | 24.4% | 1,092 | 75.6% | 3,539 |
| Polk | 35.4% | 4,951 | 64.6% | 9,547 |
| Pope | 36.5% | 2,242 | 63.5% | 3,991 |
| Ramsey | 63.5% | 172,197 | 36.5% | 102,069 |
| Red Lake | 32.3% | 617 | 67.7% | 1,356 |
| Redwood | 30.5% | 2,330 | 69.5% | 5,455 |
| Renville | 33.7% | 2,549 | 66.3% | 5,145 |
| Rice | 53.7% | 17,025 | 46.3% | 15,010 |
| Rock | 26.6% | 1,218 | 73.4% | 3,579 |
| Roseau | 30.1% | 2,115 | 69.9% | 5,185 |
| Scott | 51.1% | 35,951 | 48.9% | 35,212 |
| Sherburne | 43.7% | 19,953 | 56.3% | 26,306 |
| Sibley | 31.3% | 2,379 | 68.7% | 5,404 |
| St. Louis | 55.9% | 63,663 | 44.1% | 51,272 |
| Stearns | 47.0% | 36,309 | 53.0% | 41,849 |
| Steele | 44.4% | 8,339 | 55.6% | 10,685 |
| Stevens | 44.3% | 2,463 | 55.7% | 3,163 |
| Swift | 39.1% | 1,847 | 60.9% | 3,293 |
| Todd | 28.8% | 3,311 | 71.2% | 8,448 |
| Traverse | 33.8% | 602 | 66.2% | 1,238 |
| Wabasha | 40.8% | 4,698 | 59.2% | 7,011 |
| Wadena | 30.4% | 1,981 | 69.6% | 4,769 |
| Waseca | 40.2% | 3,873 | 59.8% | 5,877 |
| Washington | 55.3% | 77,108 | 44.7% | 63,767 |
| Watonwan | 36.4% | 1,828 | 63.6% | 3,295 |
| Wilkin | 31.4% | 967 | 68.6% | 2,222 |
| Winona | 53.0% | 14,132 | 47.0% | 12,884 |
| Wright | 44.0% | 29,259 | 56.0% | 38,157 |
| Yellow Medicine | 34.5% | 1,835 | 65.5% | 3,572 |