Minnesotans United For All Families

Minnesotans United for All Families was formed jointly by Project 515 and OutFront Minnesota to defeat legislation, constitutional amendments, and propositions that would exclude some families from the institution of marriage, and in particular to defeat a ballot question put before the voters in November 2012 that would have amended the Minnesota constitution to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. The ballot question was defeated, and subsequent legislation legalized same-sex marriage in Minnesota in 2013.

The Minnesotans United campaign defeated a hurtful constitutional amendment that would have permanently limited the freedom to marry and won marriage equality for same-sex couples (the 12th state to do so). This campaign also showed the country how to win by sharing our personal stories about why marriage matters.

Minnesotans United created the biggest grassroots movement our state has ever seen:

• 27,000 volunteers
• 67,000 donors
• Over 700 coalition partners
• 52% of Minnesotans voted NO—more than 1.5 million people!

The bill to create a voter referendum passed in May 2011. At that time, no public ballot initiative in the country had passed, notably Prop 8 in California.

The referendum asked, “Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?”

Organizers on both sides of the issue received strong support. Public Policy Polling (PPP) reported that 48 percent of Minnesotans supported the amendment and 47 percent opposed it. Then the balance began to shift. By November 3, PPP predicted that 45 percent of Minnesotans would vote “yes” and 52 percent would vote “no.”

On November 5, 2012, nearly three million people weighed in on the marriage amendment. About 48 percent voted in favor; about 51 percent voted in opposition.

The amendment’s failure made Minnesota the first and only state to reject a "same-sex marriage" ban through the will of voters rather than a court ruling.

Energized by the amendment’s defeat in 2012, marriage-equality supporters and legislators worked together to draft a bill that legalized marriage equality. Governor Dayton signed the bill into law just over six months later, on May 14, 2013 in front of a crowd of 6,000 supporters.

The success achieved was also due in large part to legislators Governor Mark Dayton, Senator Scott Dibble, and Representative Karen Clark.

Minnesotans United For All Families accomplished its goal and continued to keep the movement alive through events like the annual Big Gay Race. The group formally dissolved on December 31, 2014.