Frank Robertson's Blog

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If a presidential election is not enough, you can be sure the turnout in California this November will be staggering. As you have undoubtedly heard, the California Supreme Court has overturned a ban on same sex marriages. Gay rights activists are celebrating, but conservative and religious groups vow to get a measure on the ballot that would allow voters to reinstate the ban if they so choose. This should be really interesting. California is a highly diverse state and it's always difficult to predict which way the electorate will go in any election. If a gay marriage ban does end up the ballot, it will force the presidential candidates to take a definitive position on the issue in a vitally important state with 55 electoral votes. In most of the country, the central issues seem to be the economy, national security and the war in Iraq. Yet, in California, the "hot button" issue of gay marriage may be pivotal.