Changes

With a total of over 70 million dollars being spent, it became the most expensive campaign on a social proposition in history. The campaigns for and against Proposition 8 raised $39.9 million and $43.3 million, respectively.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hKiw9iO4JJqxjTDd98GqpwyqDEewD963PUK00|title=Donors pumped $83M to Calif. gay marriage campaign|publisher=The Associated Press|date=2009-02-02|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>

With a total of over 70 million dollars being spent, it became the most expensive campaign on a social proposition in history. The campaigns for and against Proposition 8 raised $39.9 million and $43.3 million, respectively.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hKiw9iO4JJqxjTDd98GqpwyqDEewD963PUK00|title=Donors pumped $83M to Calif. gay marriage campaign|publisher=The Associated Press|date=2009-02-02|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>

The measure apparently passed with 52% of the votes being for to 48% against.  While much was made of the fact that it was losing in the polls up until the time of the election, proponents pointed out that similar measures were often reported as polling poorly, but the actual vote was different.  For instance Proposition 22 was supposed to be too close to call in 2000.  Although it had been claimed that minority voters were against the message, exit polling on election day showed that latinos favored it overall while blacks favored it with a 70% yes vote.  The large number of blacks who came out to vote for [[Barack Obama]] helped to tip the scale for Proposition 8's passing. Obama ironically stated that he did not support same-sex marriage, though also against Proposition 8.<ref>[http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20081106/news_1n6exit.html Blacks, Latinos helped Prop. 8, exit polls say]</ref>

The measure passed with 52% of the votes being for to 48% against.  While much was made of the fact that it was losing in the polls up until the time of the election, proponents pointed out that similar measures were often reported as polling poorly, but the actual vote was different.  For instance Proposition 22 was supposed to be too close to call in 2000.  Although it had been claimed that minority voters were against the message, exit polling on election day showed that latinos favored it overall while blacks favored it with a 70% yes vote.  The large number of blacks who came out to vote for [[Barack Obama]] helped to tip the scale for Proposition 8's passing. Obama ironically stated that he did not support same-sex marriage, though also against Proposition 8.<ref>[http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20081106/news_1n6exit.html Blacks, Latinos helped Prop. 8, exit polls say]</ref>

===Proponents===

===Proponents===

*[[California Teachers Association]]

*[[California Teachers Association]]

*Eight of the state's largest newspapers plus ''[[The New York Times]]''

*Eight of the state's largest newspapers plus ''[[The New York Times]]''

==Results==

==Results==

Proposition 8 passed with a 52.30% majority (7,001,084 votes) over a 47.70% minority (6,401,482 votes) with 340,611 invalid of blank votes. 79.42% of the Californian population turned up to vote on voting day.  

Proposition 8 passed with a 52.30% majority (7,001,084 votes) over a 47.70% minority (6,401,482 votes) with 340,611 invalid of blank votes. 79.42% of the Californian population turned up to vote on voting day.