DC Court Upholds Election Board's Rejection of Initiative To Define Marriage

In Jackson v. District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics, (DC Super. Ct., Jan. 14, 2010), the District of Columbia Superior Court agreed with the D.C. election board's rejection of an initiative petition seeking to amend the D.C. Code to provide that only marriage between a man and a woman would be recognized in D.C. Last year, D.C. City Council passed a law recognizing same-sex marriages validly performed elsewhere. (See prior posting.) The court held that Council appropriately implemented the Charter Amendment Act when it prohibited initiatives that would authorize discrimination in violation of the D.C. Human Rights Act. The proposed initiative would violate the Human Rights Act by authorizing discrimination based on sexual orientation. (See prior related posting.) Alliance Defense Fund (which filed the lawsuit on behalf of a local pastor and other voters) in a release yesterday says it will appeal the decision.