2014 Marriage Equality Initiative Dropped in Arizona

An initiative campaign planning to put a ballot measure in favor of marriage equality in Arizona before voters in 2014 has been dropped, reports The Arizona Republic.

Equal Marriage Arizona, the primary group behind the initiative, says efforts were scuttled because key national advocacy groups withheld backing of the initiative for 2014 because they believed there would be a greater chance of winning in 2016.

"They didn't feel like Arizona was ready for equal marriage in 2014," said Equal Marriage Arizona cochair Erin Ogletree Simpson. "I'm just happy our effort has prompted a focus from the various groups to look at 2016 and start putting together a strategy."

While Simpson expressed frustration about the wait, most advocacy groups agreed waiting until 2016 would provide the time necessary to rally support for the measure, which would amend the state's constitution to legalize same-sex marriage. Because that is a presidential election year, voter turnout is likely to be higher than in 2014, and that would be beneficial as well, they said.

Arizona voters amended their constiution to ban same-sex marriage in 2008, approving Proposition 102, which stated, "Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state."