Positive Language Change To Prop 8

Election officials in California made small but potentially important linguistic changes to Proposition 8 today.

Proposed by social conservatives after the state Supreme Court legalized gay marriage, Prop 8 will essentially reverse that judicial decision. The original ballot explanation read thus, “Amends the California Constitution to provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”

Today’s change, however, gives the legislation a more positive spin, “[Prop 8] Changes California Constitution to eliminate right of same-sex couples to marry.”

This, says blogger Boi From Troy, increases the chances voters will come out against the failure: “…It is good that the language was changed to focus on the elimination of the right, not maintaining the previous status quo. Polls show that this distinction can give up to ten points to the “no” side.”

The change could also raise legal challenges should the bill pass – but let’s hope it doesn’t come to that…