Groups make final push to sway voters on marriage amendment

In a little more than a week North Carolina will vote on a controversial marriage amendment. Those for and against it made a final push Sunday to sway voters. Coalitions across Charlotte held phone banks and canvassed neighborhoods to surprise people about the amendment. If passed, ti would make marriage between one man and one woman the only recognized legal union in the state. Supporters of the amendment called Sunday "Marriage Sunday." Some of them said that voters in North Carolina shouldn't assume that the amendment will pass just because this is the Bible Belt. In fact, latest check numbers show support for the amendment is slipping. "I think the truth is that they've been well funded. Probably better funded than we've been," said Dr. Mark Harris. He's the Pastor of First Baptist Church of Charlotte. He spent much of Sunday telling voters throughout Charlotte why they should support the marriage amendment. "Marriage quite frankly is not something that we were meant to vote on. Marriage is a covenant that was designed by God," he said. Across town, dozens gathered to share a different message. Tonia Williams --Smiley brought her wife and kids to a phone bank at Wedgewood Baptist Church. She was married in Connecticut and said the amendment would kill all hope of her marriage being legally recognized in North Carolina, because it would make it difficult to overturn North Carolina's current ban on gay marriage. "There are just as well many loopholes we have to jump through," said Williams Smiley. A recent check by Public Policy Polling shows that 54 percent of North Carolina voters plan to support the amendment, while40 percent are opposed. Harris said the next few days before the May 8 vote are about clearing up misconceptions. "The amendment makes it clear that same sex benefits given by employers will not be affected by this amendment. So. if you work for the bank and the bank gives you benefits for same sex partnerships there is certainly nothing in the amendment that's gonna preclude tha! t," said Pastor Harris. Early voting polls open again Monday and close on May 5.Powered By iWebRSS.co.cc