Marijuana Legalization

Supporters of same-sex marriage seem to be moving to delay a ballot initiative campaign to overturn Prop 8 and legalize such marriages from 2010 until 2012. Their thinking is that they need more time to convert voters, and that the 2012 electorate will be larger -- and younger, and thus more inclined to back same-sex marriage.

But I wonder if they're right about that. The 2010 ballot in California could draw a number of young and new voters sympathetic to same sex marriage for one reason: an initiative legalizing marijuana. I have not seen polling on this (does anyone out there have surveys to share), but one would suspect that there's more than a little overlap between supporters of legalizing pot possession and legalizing same-sex marriage. (Your blogger, for the record, thinks the case for legalizing same-sex marriage is strong and the case for legalizing marijuana is weak). The marijuana initiative is likely to dominate the news and public discussion. That could help the cause of same-sex marriage.

Some gay rights groups say they need more time to convince voters to back legalization of same-sex marriage in California, the LA Times reports. Reaction: this may be too cautious, but there may be advantages to waiting. One developing problem with the 2010 ballot is that it appears likely to be crowded with high profile measures on taxation, budgeting, the constitutional convention and, of course, marijuana legalization.

Mendocino County has voted to repeal loose standards that made the California county a haven for marijuana growers.