Emotions ran high leading up to the Nov. 6 election, and with an almost evenly divided nation when it came to the presidential candidates much of the focus remained on the resulting reelection of President Barack Obama.
It has been reported that evangelicals turned out as much for Mitt Romney (or against Obama) as they did for George W. Bush — but that nearly 80 percent margin was still not enough in raw numbers to put the GOP ticket over the top.
In other ballot issues, evangelical Christians and other social conservatives also took a blow with the support of gay “marriage” in three states.
Maine, Maryland and Washington state became the first states to support same-sex “marriage” in popular votes. They broke a losing streak for gay “marriage” supporters across 32 states since 1998.
All of the vote totals were fairly close and all took place in left-leaning states. Nevertheless, it was a landmark night for gay activists who had longed to see citizens of a state embrace gay “marriage” at the ballot.
In Maine, gay “marriage” won 53–47 percent, three years after it lost by an identical margin. In Maryland, gay “marriage” was victorious 52–48 percent. In Washington, gay “marriage” won 52–48 percent.
And in Minnesota, a constitutional amendment that would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman lost 51–48 percent.
Nine states now recognize gay “marriage,” although the laws in Maine and Maryland will not take effect until January. Thirty states have constitutional amendments defining marriage as between a man and a woman.
The election also resulted in the first openly homosexual member of the U.S. Senate — Democrat Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.
The recreational use of marijuana also surfaced on ballots in two states; the medical use of marijuana was voted on in two other states.
In Colorado the amendment will allow people age 21 and older to purchase as much as 1 ounce of marijuana at regulated retail stores or grow up to six marijuana plants at home. Public use of the drug will remain illegal. Adults in Washington will be allowed to possess an ounce of marijuana, but it will be illegal to drive while impaired by the drug.
Before the election, 17 states and the District of Columbia had legalized medical marijuana, including Colorado, Washington and Oregon. On Nov. 6 voters in Massachusetts approved medical marijuana measures, but it was rejected in Arkansas.
An election night that largely was bleak for social conservatives had a few bright spots, including one in Massachusetts, where voters narrowly rejected a measure that would have legalized physician-assisted suicide.
The measure known as Question 2 was defeated 51–49 percent. It would have placed Massachusetts alongside Oregon and Washington state in legalizing the controversial practice.
In Montana voters passed a pro-life measure requiring that parents be notified when girls under the age of 16 try to obtain an abortion. It passed with 66 percent of the vote.
In Oregon two gambling measures were defeated. Measure 82 would have allowed non-tribal casinos and Measure 83 would have authorized such a casino in Multnomah County. They were defeated, 72–28 and 71–29 percent, respectively.
But Maryland passed an initiative that will allow a Las Vegas-style casino in Prince George’s County and table-type gambling at the five casinos already in existence. Rhode Island also passed two gambling measures that will permit slot parlors in two specific localities to add table games.
In Alabama, a personality on the ballot captured much of the attention as the votes were counted.
Roy Moore won the race for chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court with 52 percent of the vote, meaning he will return to the position he once held. Moore, a member of First Baptist Church, Gallant, rose to prominence by placing a Ten Commandments monument in the lobby of the Alabama Judicial Building. He was removed from office in 2003 by a judicial panel after he refused to obey an order to remove the monument. He has said he will not return the monument to the building.
“It never was about the monument — it was about the sovereignty of God. If we are to be free and blessed, we have to acknowledge Him,” Moore said.
“To attempt to put the monument back would only confuse the issue — it would become about me and my will, or the monument itself, rather than about the sovereignty of God.”
With the outcome of the election in full view, prayer is needed in America more than ever, Baptist leaders said.
Fred Luter, the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) first African American president, said the Bible encourages Christians to pray for those in authority regardless of their political affiliation.
“As citizens of the United States, it’s now time for us to put away our yard signs and buttons and [pray for] our president,” Luter said. “Our nation is in trouble, and we need believers to pray God’s will be done in America. We need to understand it’s only going to happen because the people of God start praying for revival in America.”
(BP, RNS, TAB)
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