When Minnesotans rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have made marriage only between a man and a woman, they made the state the only one in the nation to defeat a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
In 2009, Iowa's Supreme Court ruled that limiting civil marriage to a union between a man and a woman violated the equal protection clause of the Iowa Constitution. It became the third state in the nation, and the first in the heartland, to legalize marriage between same-sex couples.
Minnesotans are involved in a passionate debate about marriage this election season. The two sides began squaring off more than 40 years ago. This project draws upon MPR's extensive audio archive and an interactive timeline to explore the origins of this election day showdown over same-sex marriage.
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?
Read legislative bill ›A collaboration between MPR News and KARE 11, taking a road trip through greater Minnesota to take the pulse of this issue in several cities
An up-to-date FAQ about the ballot question.
Read Marriage Amendment primer ›
